1851. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
389 
stalls and pens, all substantially built, and under roof. 
The high ground or grove is, to a considerable extent, oc¬ 
cupied by pens for poultry, sheep, &c. Besides the So¬ 
ciety’s buildings, there are two others built and occupied, 
one by Mr. Whitman, the other by Messrs. Sinclair & 
Co., for the accommodation of their extensive collections 
of agricultural implements, and add greatly to the effect 
of the scene. The property having been purchased by 
a stock company for the use of the Society, it will be 
improved and arranged with a view to permanency. 
The exhibition of improved cattle was very imposing, 
and comprised all the various breeds of any note; im¬ 
proved Durham short horn, Devons, Ayrshires, Holsteins, 
Alderneys, &c., to the number of about four hundred 
head. Numerous horses for farm purposes, of light and 
heavy draft, mules and jacks,embracing many of the most 
useful breeds known, were exhibited. The number of 
the various breeds of swine was very great, and finer 
specimens could not be produced anywhere. The writer 
felt much gratification that it did not fall to his lot to act 
on the committee of judges to award premiums for the 
best in this department, it would have been so difficult 
to select any ten out of the several hundreds that were 
entitled to much preference. All the various breeds of 
sheep were also there in great numbers. The new Ox¬ 
fordshire sheep attracted great attention; but the most 
remarkable sheep were those exhibited by Mr. Bingham 
of the State of Vermont, being three French Merinoes, 
lately imported by him. These came too late for com¬ 
petition, but afforded much gratification. The poultry 
pens were supplied with a very extensive collection of 
the feathered tribe, of every known breed. Thousands 
of well informed people expressed astonishment at the 
great additions and improvements that- have been made 
in this department of rural economy. The collections 
of implements and machines exceeded, beyond measure, 
anything heretofore seen. Every description of ma¬ 
chinery used in agriculture and the domestic arts was 
there in great profusion. Threshing machines, worked 
by horse and steam power, mills for grinding corn, and 
corn and cob crackers and grinders, straw and hay and 
root cutters, &c. &.C., a list of all of which, a mere cata¬ 
logue, would occupy a whole year’s publication of The 
Cultivator. The portable sawing machine of Mr. Page, 
however, ought to receive special notice, as it is calcula¬ 
ted to effect a wonderful improvement in the whole coun¬ 
try, in facilitating the construction of plank roads. It is 
easily transported to the spot where the timber grows. 
Is worked by either steam or horse power, and cuts the 
plank of any desired length and thickness, with wonder¬ 
ful precision and speed. With these saw mills on the 
lines of projected plank roads, the construction of these 
most valuable improvements is rendered both cheap and 
easy. The time is at hand when plank roads will be as 
important to the country at large, as railroads themselves, 
if indeed not more so. They will everywhere be used 
and will form the connecting tracks between farms and 
small towns and feeders of railroads, and this saw mill 
of Mr. Page will be the active agent in their construc¬ 
tion. 
In conclusion, I regret that the Editors of the Cultiva¬ 
tor could not have been here to see this our great exhibi¬ 
tion. I inclose a detailed list of the premiums awarded, 
and from this you may judge somewhat of the extent of 
the exhibition. I do not suppose you will be able to find 
room for it in The Cultivator, even if you have time to 
count the number of premiums. 
Farming in Delaware County, N. Y. 
Eds. Cultivator —Having just returned from attend¬ 
ing the meeting of the Delaware County Agricultural 
Society, held at Delhi the 8th and 9th of this month, I 
thought I would jot down some few remarks growing out 
of the occasion. Slight and unimportant as they are, 
they may at some busy moments answer the imperative 
cry of “copy,” when you could not, otherwise, conve¬ 
niently attend to it. 
A stronger and more real motive, however, is that in 
this day of intelligence, when the enlightened farmer is 
sensible that an agricultural paper is as necessary to his 
business as an almanac. I know of no way in which I 
can so well venture a few suggestions to the rising Scotch 
agriculturists I there met, as through the medium of the 
“ Cultivator”—presuming always, that a community, 
apparently so bent on advancement, would not neglect so 
important an assistance. Indeed, I am inclined to esti¬ 
mate the intelligence and advancement of a rural dis¬ 
trict, in some degree, by the number of agricultural 
periodicals it requires. 
From Morris to Oneonta, we had a beautiful drive 
over a fine road. Here we crossed the Susquehanna. 
Leaving it to wander down its own fertile valley, we com¬ 
menced clambering our way over the rough and stoney 
mountains of Davenport, thence dropping into the little 
valley of the Olcout, we soon recommenced our toilsome 
way to the high lands of Merideth. Here the scene 
changed, and our view opened on well cultivated fields, 
regular enclosures, and comfortable homesteads. A 
handsome residence, with a fine farm of eight hundred 
acres, was pointed out to us as belonging to S. A. Law, 
Esq., president of the County Ag. Society, and whose 
great exertions, in common with those of some few others, 
have, I am told, infused an energy and vitality into the 
society, that promises higher results than have heretofore 
been attained. 
We now had descending ground, and a tolerable road 
into the pretty village of Delhi, which we reached about 
noon. I will here remark, that had we returned home 
by the same road, we might well have wondered what 
interest or what object there could have been in either 
claiming or defending such lands; but returning, as we 
did, by Franklin, we were shown a very improved face 
of the county, and we could not sufficiently admire the in¬ 
dustry, perseverance and skill, which had thus tamed 
down and subjected to the plow such wild lands. 
After dining at a most comfortable and excellent hotel, 
belonging to Judge Edgerton, we walked to the ground 
enclosed for the Exhibition, where we found a variety of 
stock from breeds, evidently selected with that good sense 
and judgment which gives due consideration to the cir¬ 
cumstances of climate, culture and character of the farms 
on which they were to be placed. In the various sheep 
pens, were to be seen some admirable “ Cheviots,” 
showing purity of blood and great constitution; near them 
