1851 
THE CULTIVATOR 
875 
period. In these days when the agricultural interest has 
attained an ascendant position in popular estimation, and 
agricultural societies have become common in all parts 
of our country, we seldom realize how much we are in¬ 
debted to the example and influence of these first labor¬ 
ers in the cause. It is no flattery to say that the early 
“ Memoirs of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting 
Agriculture,” comprise many papers of great value. 
They contain the germs of much of the improvement in 
agriculture which it is our happiness to enjoy. In this 
view, perhaps no society in existence is entitled to higher 
credit for the benefits it has conferred on the public. 
The exhibition of the society on the present occasion, 
when considered in reference to the unfavorable charac¬ 
ter of the season, the scarcity of grass, and the suffering 
of many crops from drouth, was highly creditable. The 
number of animals was larger, as we were informed, than 
at most of the previous exhibitions. We cannot speak 
in high terms of the horses, in the aggregate, though 
there were a few which appeared well. Of these, a stal¬ 
lion, 6 years old, owned by Daniel Stout, Cheltenham 
township, Montgomery county, was well formed for 
strength and endurance. His sire was the imported Nor¬ 
man horse owned by Edward Harris, Esq., of Moores- 
town, N. J. The cattle comprised specimens of the 
Short-horns, Devons, Alderneys, and various mixed 
breeds. Jas. Gowen, Esq., the President of the So¬ 
ciety, exhibited several fine Short-horn cows, heifers, and 
bulls; others of the same breed, offered by Messrs. Cad- 
wallader, Newbold, Barton, and Blight, deserve 
notice. Some of the Devons by Messrs. Sheridan, 
Smith, and others, were fine. There were several yoke 
of superior working oxen, bred in Connecticut, offered 
by Mr. Gowen, and others whose names we did not learn. 
The sheep were of the English varieties. Aaron Cle¬ 
ment, Esq., exhibited several fine specimens of South- 
Downs, Leicesters, and mixed breeds. Some good Cots- 
wolds, or improved Oxfordshires, were exhibited by 
Benj. Wood, of Sugar town, Chester county. Some of 
them were from the flock of Col. Ware, of Virginia. The 
show of swine was large, and comprised good specimens 
of Leicester or Dutchess county stock, offered by Mr. 
Wilkinson, and others, of the Berkshire, of which a very 
handsome specimen was offered by Mr. Gowen, and an im¬ 
ported white Berkshire boar offered by James Deve- 
reaux, of Germantown. There was a great show of 
poultry, showing that the sober citizens of the Quaker 
City and its suburbs are not entirely free from the epi¬ 
demic which has affected other parts of the country. 
Though a large proportion of the fowls were of the Sfrank- 
high tribe, there were some gopd ones. Deserving men¬ 
tion were those under the name of Gold-spangled, or 
Pheasant fowls, (Bolton bays, or Golden-Hamburghs,) 
offered by Henry Ditman. They were of almost un¬ 
exceptionable form, but had not the exact markings re¬ 
quired by the standard for that variety. The white 
fowls offered by Rev. Mr. Bumstead, of Roxborough, 
were good. 
The specimens of fruits, vegetables, grain, and other 
seeds, were numerous, and in general of superior quali¬ 
ty—much superior in all respects than could have been 
expected under the unexampled drouth. The speci¬ 
mens of farm products from the farm of Mr. Geo. Blight 
attracted much notice; as did those offered by Mr. Sheri¬ 
dan. 
A h&ndsome display of implements was made by 
Messrs. Prouty & Barrett, and a smaller but good as¬ 
sortment, by Mr. C. B. Rodgers. 
Washington County, N. Y.—We have been furnish¬ 
ed by a correspondent with the following account of the 
exhibition of this society: 
The eleventh annual Fair and Cattle Show oftlie Wash¬ 
ington county Agricultural Society, was held at South 
Hartford on the 17th and 18th of September. The 
farmers of this section have suffered for a long tune from 
excessive drouth, and this circumstance was unpropitious 
for the show; but notwithstanding this discouragement 
the farmers with commendable public spirit brought out 
their stock, and made the show such an one as was cre¬ 
ditable to the husbandmen of the county, and one that 
fully met the expectations of the great number which the 
increasing interest in these exhibitions called together. 
The show of cattle was good, especially of working oxen 
—about thirty yoke being exhibited—some of great ex¬ 
cellence. In sheep the show was remarkably good. The 
exhibition of horses was very good, much the best ever 
had in the county; many animals of superior excellence. 
The amount of fruit exhibited was not large, although 
there were some specimens of fine quality. 
The ladies’ department, containing many articles of rare 
beauty, was peculiarly interesting and excited much at¬ 
tention. Much credit is due the ladies for the fine taste 
displayed in adorning the tent with evergreens and 
flowers. 
The plowing took place the second day. The success¬ 
ful competitor used a plow manufactured by Eddy & Co., 
Union Village. 
An address, which highly interested the large audience, 
was delivered by Prof. Norton of Yale College. We 
have reason to believe that this address will do much to¬ 
wards removing existing objections against connecting 
science with practical agriculture, and will tend to create 
a laudable rivalry among farmers, and awaken a spirit of 
investigation and inquiry, for which it was eminently 
calculated. 
It is with great satisfaction that we find our fairs every 
year becoming more interesting. This show, in most de¬ 
partments, was the best that has been held in the eounty, 
and furnishes ample evidence that farmers are awake to 
their true interest. S. South Hartford, Sept . 22,1851. 
Berkshire, Mass. —This county has two Agricultural 
Societies—the old Berkshire, proper, and the Hou- 
satonic. Both are well sustained, and for several 
years, each has had its annual exhibitiuns. The show 
of the Housatonic Society was held the present season 
at Great Barrington on the 24th and 25th of September; 
and that of the Berkshire Society at Pittsfield on the 
1st and 2d of October. This is an old society, and it is 
entitled to the credit of holding the first agricultural 
exhibition in this country, which took place at Pittsfield 
in 1810. The interest then originated has been well 
sustained, and the prosperity of the county of Berkshire. 
