1853 . 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
321 
acter, embracing the most of known breeds, in which 
the East India fowls largely predominated. 
Implements. —The collection of agricultural imple¬ 
ments was moderate in extent. The largest exhibit¬ 
ors were Emery & Co., of Albany, and Eddy, Dyer 
& Co., of Union Village, Washington Co. A new 
straw-cutter. (Daniels’ patent) was exhibited by the 
latter, which promises to be one of the best machines 
for cutting short, that w r e have met • with, in the ease 
and rapidity of its operation, and its small liability of 
becoming deranged by use ; although its high price 
($18 and $20) will be a real objection to small farmers. 
For cutting an inch or more long, and for cheapness, we 
saw nothing, better than the old green-hide cylinder 
machines, made by Jtuggics & Co., Emery & Co., and 
others, 
The only reapers observed, were Atkin’s Automaton, 
and Emery’s new machine. The former we have re¬ 
peatedly noticed in this journal, and is becoming well 
and favorably known; the latter is yet new, and in a 
great measure untried, but it is remarkable for its in¬ 
genuity and simplicity. 
A number of railroad horse-powers were shown, wheat 
drills, plows, corn shellers, threshing machines, &c., 
which showed the constant and gradual improvement 
which is going on in our farm-machinery. Emery’s 
and Dederick’s Hay Presses were new to most persons. 
The Domestic Manufactures did not present an 
extensive or showy collection, but contained some arti¬ 
cles of substantial value and real utility, which we could 
not but regard as of much higher merit than all the 
highly wrought specimens of ornamental needie-work, 
which too often show more of a waste of valuable time 
than of genius or even skill in the operator. 
Flowers. —Among the most brilliant objects were 
the fine specimens of dahlias. A rich and beautiful 
collection was shown by E. L. E. Smith, of Mechanics,- 
ville, Saratoga county, and unlike some other collec¬ 
tions, the sorts were all labelled. Another handsome 
labelled collection was furnished by J. Battey of Clin¬ 
ton county. Ellwanger & Barry, and Erost & Co., 
of Rochester, contributed many line roses and verbe¬ 
nas ; smaller miscellaneous collections of flowers were 
furnished by a large number of persons. We observed 
a large number of flowers, mostly annuals, from J. T. 
Van Namee of Pittstown. 
Among the floral ornaments and floral structures, we 
observed the same general want of taste that we have 
had occasion to notice in our previous reports of fairs, 
viz, a want of fitness in the use of materials for struc¬ 
tures. Columns, obelisks, and temples are objects too 
permanent and massive in expression to build up with 
such light and decorative materials as flowers. Even 
for urns and baskets, flowers can not with propriety be 
used for any other purpose than filling or ornamenting 
them, but not of forming the material of which they are 
constructed. 
Vegetables. —The show of vegetables was small— 
some of the best were contributed by N. Culvf.r of 
Wayne, county, S. Backus of Rochester, and P. Rail- 
i.y of Saratoga Springs. There was an interesting dis¬ 
play of the new South American potatoes recently raised 
from seed by C. E. Goodrich of Utica. Still more limi¬ 
ted (in the same building) was the exhibition of butter 
and cheese, although apparently of fine quality. At 
the same place we observed among other samples of grain 
and seeds, some very fine wheat, corn, and other grains, 
from 0. Howland of Cayuga county. 
Fruits. —The collections of fruit were extensive and 
valuable. Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, took 
the lead of all others, and exhibited 175 varieties of 
the pear, some of which were rare and valuable sorts. 
We observed among these fine specimens of Beurre 
Superfine, Beurre Clairge.au, and Buchesse d’ Orleans, 
and as instances of the large size from high cultiva¬ 
tion to which many of their specimens had grown, we 
found the Belle Lucrative and Beurre Gris d’Hiver 
Nouveau, about three inches in diameter, and the same 
in height. J. Morse, of Cayuga Bridge, presented as 
usual a fine collection of fruit, consisting of over forty 
sorts each, of pears and of apples, and .twenty of 
peaches; Thorp, Smith, IIanchett & Co., about the 
same number ; D. T. Vail of Troy, a large and rare 
collection of pears, and large contributions of fruit were 
made by Wilson, Tkorburn and Teller of Albany, 
T. C. Maxwell of Geneva, E. S. Haywood of Roch¬ 
ester, A. Saul & Co., Newburgh, and others. The best 
contribution of plums, was from E. Dorr, of Albany. 
An unusual deficiency existed in relation to this fruit. 
A most extensive and valuable collection of pears, con¬ 
sisting of 151 varieties, was sent by Hovey & Co., of 
Boston. 
In comparing the more recent with the former exhi¬ 
bitions of fruit at our State Fairs, one great improve¬ 
ment was evident, besides the large introduction into 
general cultivation of many of the finer new and old 
sorts—this is the correctness in nomenclature, mistakes 
being much less frequent than formerly, although in 
some of the smaller collections we observed many 
errors: 
Horses. —On the last day.of the fair, at 10 o’clock, 
the Black Hawk horses and colls entered the large 
ring, in pi’esence of a large concourse of spectators. 
These animals were more than thirty in number, about 
twenty-five of which were attached to sulkies, and dri¬ 
ven round the ring. Most of them.were of great beau¬ 
ty and excellence, and they excited the admiration of 
the spectators, as nothing equal ,to this show had ever 
been presented before. A number of matched horses 
were also exhibited, some of them of high merit, among 
which we observed especially a large and beautiful 
span of bays, from J. Barber of Auburn. There were 
some other fine horses which we had not an opportunity 
to examine to advantage. 
At. 12 o’clock of the concluding day of the Fair, a 
large audience assembled under the speaker’s tent, to 
hear the annual address from William C. Hives, of 
Virginia. This address was occupied with the impor¬ 
tance, dignity, value and profits of agriculture, and 
with numerous examples of the high tribute of respect 
which the greatest minds had practically awarded to it 
in all ages; and it was characterised with the ability, 
energy, chasteness, and eloquence, to be expected from 
its eminent author, who is himself a practical farmer, 
and skilled in the different departments of modern ag¬ 
riculture. 
Pomological Meetings. —Meetings of the princi¬ 
pal fruit-growers present at the fair, were held on 
Wednesday and Thursday evenings, which proved high¬ 
ly interesting, from the numerous facts elicited on va¬ 
rious pomological questions. We took notes of these 
discussions, but are under the necessity of deferring 
their publication until our next number. 
Poultry Society. —A convention of poultry dealers, 
breeders, and fanciers, was held on the 23d, at which 
“ The New-York State Society for the Improvement of 
Domestic Poultry ” was organized. After the adoption 
of the constitution, D. S. Heffvon of Utica, was elected 
president; E. E. Platt of Albany, and M. Vasser, 
Poughkeepsie, vice-presidents ; R. C. McCormick, Jr., 
Jamaica, cor. secretary; R. U. Sherman, Utica, rec. 
secretary and treasurer. A board of managers was also 
elected, consisting of N. S. Smith, Buffalo ; A. A. Hud¬ 
son, Syracuse; Geo. Anderson, Albany; D. P. Newell, 
Rochester; W. H. Southwick, New-Baltimore; D. W 
Van Slyke, Lyons ; B. B. Kirtland, Albany; T. D. Mi¬ 
ner, Clinton ; Dr. Cole, Claverack ; and Dr. S. Childs, 
New-York city. It was resolved to hold an exhibition 
of poultry during the ensuing winter, the time and place 
to be designated hereafter. 
The receipts at the State Fair were, we hear, but not 
officially, about $6,000. 
American Forest Trees. —In North America, we 
have 50 species of the oak, while all Europe has only 
30 species. North America has 40 species of pines and 
firs, the United States over 20, while Europe has but 
14 species. 
