ISO 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
thanks of the wheat growers of western New-York, for 
his perseverance in constructing a thresher and cleaner 
whereby grain can he threshed and cleaned for a less 
sum than can be done with any machine that has yet 
been introduced. R. HARMON, Jr. 
FAIR OF THE FARMER’S AG. SOCIETY. 
Messrs. Gaylord &'Tucker —Thinking some gene¬ 
ral and succinct notices of the meetings of the several 
Agricultural Societies of our State, should find place in 
the columns of a paper devoted to the farming interest, 
I take the liberty of offering you a few remarks on the 
meeting of the “Farmer's Agricultural Society,” held 
at Butternuts, Otsego Co., for the exhibition of stock, 
and the award of premiums, &c. &c. 
The 24th of September, was a beautiful day; its tem¬ 
perature such as best suited man and beast; the sun 
shone mildly at times, but never fiercely, so the animals 
in the pens were not suffering from heat, but stood com¬ 
fortably and often quietly ruminating, with a sleekness 
and glossiness of coat that added much to their appear¬ 
ance. Later in the season, cold nights, wet days, and 
occasional frosts, give a harshness to the hair and oth¬ 
erwise affect the good looks of an animal more than 
common observers would suppose. This I think, makes 
an early day in the season desirable for the exhibition 
of stock. The stock occupied something more than an 
hundred pens ; and notwithstanding the apology every 
where made of drouth and scanty feed, yet the animals 
looked generally well. Among the cattle, the grade 
Short Horns and the beautiful little Devons attracted 
much attention ; some of the latter were imported. 
Mr. Nicholas Gardiner’s yearling bull, by a “ Son of 
Warden,” took the first premium ; a very large and pro¬ 
mising animal, a very good handler, fine in the bone, 
and of a rich red color. Size only, would not have given 
him the first place with that committee. 
Mr. John Alexander’s three grade Short Horn heifers 
were superb animals; one of 22 months old, weighed 
1,160 pounds; and . “ feelers” were put out for them 
at a hundred dollars a piece ; but even that price could 
not reach them. Many of our farmers have been 
tempted by such offers to let their best young animals 
go, and on second thought have seen their mistake and 
regretted the sale, as it throws them back in their up¬ 
ward breeding; indeed, no breeder should sell his best 
or his worst—an axiom pretty well understood, as I sus¬ 
pect, by the owner of these animals. 
The Devons were great favorites; and were of the pu¬ 
rest blood from Mr. Coke’s and the Duke of Norfolk’s 
herds; the latter originally imported by Mr. Patterson, 
and the former by Mr. F. Rotch, but now owned by 
Mr. Washbon and Mr. Franchot. Those from the Duke 
of Norfolk’s, seemed to be of the smaller family. On 
light sons and short feed, these are unquestionably the 
grazier’s stock ; and as oxen their uniformity of color 
makes it easy to match them. 
The working oxen were tested with a loaded wagon 
weighing 3,600 lbs., on a well selected piece of ground, 
where there was a short steep hill that severely tested 
their honesty, patience, strength, and excellent training. 
The three year old steers managed this load surprising¬ 
ly ; and Mr. E. Parker and his steers, walked off with the 
load and the first premium, greatly to their credit. 
The competition in long wooled sheep, was not as 
great as usual, though there were some excellent sheep 
in the several classes. Mr. John Hume took the first 
premium for ewes of the mixed breed, while Mr. Wm, 
Musson stood first as breeder of the pure long wooled 
ewes, and Mr. Paul Burgess for the best buck lamb. It 
should however, be observed that some of our best 
breeders entered for exhibition only , thus showing that 
the amount of premium is not their object. 
It is a little remarkable that so few of the short wooled 
mixed merinos were shown, considering that they are 
the common sheep of the small farmer. One pen only 
of Saxons were on the ground; they were good speci¬ 
mens of the breed, and belonged to Mr. John Bell. Me¬ 
rinos were more abundant; and some of them showed 
at once their descent from that beautiful flock formerly 
in possession of the writer. Messrs. Gregory, Collins 
and Weaver, who were purchasers of individuals from 
this flock, took all the premiums for pure Merinos, 
and an excellent opportunity was afforded to those who 
wished to obtain heavier fleeces and more constitution, 
by the purchase of bucks. Mr. Fitch Gregory and 
Mr. Yose, owners of the best pen of Merino ewes, refu¬ 
sed $20 a head for the two best ewes. 
There were but few horses and colts worthy of no¬ 
tice ; Mr. Sutton Pearsall’s and Mr. Oscar Bundy’s, how¬ 
ever, were exceptions to this remark, and took the first 
and second prizes; Mr. George Kennion came in 
third; formerly this county, under the judicious select¬ 
ions of Mr. Marvin, used to send many excellent horses 
to market, of the most useful description; and among 
them, some very fast ones ; but the miserable, short¬ 
sighted economy of using “cheap horses,” saving two 
dollars and losing fifty, has left us with scarcely a good 
stallion in the county. Two years hence the “ Mem- 
brino Messenger” colts will unquestionably attract at¬ 
tention, as they did formerly, when that most valuable 
horse stood a season in Laurens—he however went 
back to Long Island, but was again obtained and pass¬ 
ed the season of 1338 in this vicinity. It strikes me that 
such a horse, “ on” our common country mares, produ¬ 
ces the most useful animal we can have; they are of 
sufficient size and weight for our work and climate ; 
they are calculated for the promiscuous labor of the 
country ; they suit the harness and the saddle; are capa¬ 
ble of quick or slow draft; they have endurance and 
constitution, and are generally good dispositioned and 
honest. I therefore question the utility of importing 
from England or any other country, a horse suited only 
to one specific purpose. Desirable as it may be to have 
a particular description of horse for each particular pur¬ 
pose where their is a division of labor, not only among 
men but among horses, I think it would be found un¬ 
desirable in our own country. The very laws of Eng¬ 
land tended to a classification of horses, from the 
fact that horses for labor were taxed at one price, 
and horses for pleasure at another; horses of one 
size were taxed less than horses of another size, 
&c. &c. And such was the literal interpretation of these 
laws, that an owner having been known to have once 
rode his “ cart horse,” or horse for labor, was subject to 
the tax on pleasure horses ; but more of this some other 
time. I will return to the pens where stood the grade 
Downs. There were various crosses made with this ex¬ 
cellent close wooled mountain sheep. That on the Me¬ 
rino had lowered the grade of fleece, but had rather in¬ 
creased than diminished the weight of wool; so that it 
was supposed no actual loss in its value had been sus¬ 
tained, whereas the carcass was greatly improved, and 
the odious disease of “ foot-ail,” promises to be eradica¬ 
ted in the cross ; this last was considered a very impor¬ 
tant feature. The Saxon cross was a still more beauti¬ 
ful sheep; and the cross on the “native” produced a 
very improved animal, as was seen by those exhibited 
by Mr. Hopestill Crittenden, and Messrs. Hume and 
Jackson. Mr. Hollis had a pen of beautiful ewes, bred 
between the Leicesters and Downs, which were sold. 
The exhibition of swine was very excellent; most of 
them, if not all, were of the Berkshire breed. Mr. Hol¬ 
lis’ boar, “ Lord Bacon,” appeared on the ground, and I 
think would have won a pedestrian match against any 
pig of his weight which did not then exceed 522 lbs. for 
he was only in working condition, and that day traveled 
12 miles. “ Fanny Kemble” was not on the ground, but 
her offspring took the first premium in every class but 
one ; they certainly have the characteristics of the breed 
in an extraordinary degree; for we do hold stoutly to 
the creed of “no ham, no Berkshire .” It is a matter of 
regret that Dr. Yates did not exhibit specimens of his 
Chinese, which are very superior of their kind; and 
perhaps feed faster than any other breed, but are rather 
the gentleman’s than the farmer’s hog. We however, 
hold that the Chinese forms a part and portion of every 
improved breed. 
The premiums on skim milk calves created much in¬ 
terest, as it excluded expensive feeding, and was within 
the reach of every farmer ; and will, it is hoped, lead to 
more care and attention on the subject. An admirable 
lesson might be learned by looking into Mr. Sutton 
Pearsall and Mr. Stephen Cady’s pens, where could be 
seen full, round barreled, meaty, sleek looking calves, 
fed only on skim milk and boiled potatoes. 
The plowing-match was a scene of great interest, for 
the Scotchmen were out—and where will you find better 
plowmen?—with their long scow plows and well train¬ 
ed teams ; and the work was excellent, I assure you. 
One American only entered the list with a Scotch plow, 
and from his work this day, promises to become a 
“ tough customer” next year, when we hope to see more 
of our young farmers familiar with this excellent instru¬ 
ment. The greatest object of attention, however, was a 
new “ side-hill” plow, with a beam revolving on the 
standard, and secured behind between the handles, by 
a catch; this the plowman touches with his foot, as the 
horses turn, which throws the beam round so as to let 
the other shear of a double mold board come into its 
work ; thus the double mold board acts alternately as 
mold board and land side. It is in appearance, a very 
strong, durable instrument, and well suited to the Otse¬ 
go hill side. However, it was now to play the part of 
a common plow on a very hard level piece of ground 
that had not been broken up for 19 years ; and was ren¬ 
dered still harder by a severe drouth. Fortunately the 
patentee was able to induce a very first rate plowman, 
Mr. J. Miller, to hold it; who thus suddenly entered the 
list with a stronger team and yet stronger implement to 
compete with the Scotch plow in the hands of those who 
best knew how to use it. It was a “ plowing match,” not 
a trial of plows ; and the award was given according to 
time and excellence of work. There was.on the ground, 
a committee to keep the time, and maintain order, and en¬ 
force the rules of the Society; the time bill was then given 
to the judges of the work, who came on after it was fin¬ 
ished and numbered ; and they awarded the premiums 
to the respective numbers without knowing to whom 
they belonged ; in this way all jealousy was laid to rest. 
The admiration of the bystanders at the work of the 
“ side hill plow” was fully sanctioned by the returns of 
the committee, who awarded to it the third premium.* 
The first plow “ out,” did its work in one hour nineteen 
minutes, and the “ side hill” performed the same in one 
hour and twenty minutes, but the first plow out drew 
the fourth premium only. This new instrument was 
then put upon the roughest, most difficult side hill that 
could be found, and performed its work to admiration, 
I may say to the perfect and entire satisfaction of every 
one present; the old side hill plow, in first rate order, was 
now set in ; but it was soon found impossible to .keep it 
in the ground, or indeed to do any thing with it, even 
by our old hill side men, who were well used to such 
rough jobs ; never was triumph more complete ; and or¬ 
* This plow we are informed, took the first premium as the 
best plow, at the trial of plows for the premium offered by the 
American Institute, at Newark on the 9th October—Ens 
ders were given on all sides to Mr. Henry Mooer of Ith¬ 
aca for “ Barnaby’s patent side hill plow,” which he en¬ 
gaged to furnish at the very moderate price of nine or 
ten dollars; thus a farmer has a side hill, common, and 
double mold-board plow all in one. It was one of the 
few instances I have met of the farmer’s old tool giving 
way, at once, to something new; but conviction was 
here too powerful for prejudice. 
Another very simple but exceedingly useful contri¬ 
vance was presented to the inspection of the Soci- 
ety, for preventing newly threshed grain or corn from 
heating in the bin, or for cooling off a bin when so 
heated. It was nothing more than a tin tube of two 
or three inches diameter, and of length enough to 
rise above the grain, punched full of holes like a nut¬ 
meg grater, and pointed at the end to facilitate its 
entrance. This being thrust into the heated bin, and 
occasionally moved from one part to another, we 
were assured would entirely do away with the necessi¬ 
ty of removing or shoveling over the contents ; the pro¬ 
jecting points of the tin, made by punching the holes, 
prevented small grains from choking up the holes; and 
from twelve to twenty-four hours would carry off the in¬ 
creased heat, and secure the grain from injury. When 
it is remembered how much damage and expense is sus¬ 
tained by farmers in consequence of the heating of grain 
and corn, this simple and cheap expedient of a few shil- 
lings, I should think would be at hand in every granary 
and store house. Mr. Avery of Butternuts is the inven¬ 
tor, and his statement can be fully depended upon ; so 
try it. 
The Society were much indebted to those who, with¬ 
out consideration of the trouble, to say nothing of the 
risk and expense, brought stock for exhibition only add¬ 
ing greatly to the interest of the day, and evincing a 
spirit and love of improvement that will go far to ren¬ 
der our little Society permanently useful. Among this 
valuable class of members, we recognize Mr. Billy 
Shaw, who exhibited a couple of beautiful animals, a 
steer and heifer, twins; they were half bred Short 
Horns in high flesh, of great symmetry, and heavy 
weights, with the least possible waste ; the steer weigh¬ 
ing 2,420 lbs. and the heifer, 1,780 lbs. united weights 
4,200. Mr. Smith had twin two year old steers on the 
ground, that were very handsome. Mr. S. Gilbert’s twin 
Devon calves were not to be distinguished from each 
other; they were finished specimens of the light, airy, 
small boned Devon family. Mr. Thomas Jackson was 
also present with a few of his long wooled flock so well 
known among the breeders of mutton sheep, for their 
good fashion and quick feeding. Very many other gen¬ 
tlemen to whom the Society is indebted for the exhibi¬ 
tion of animals, occur to my mind, but your columns, I 
am aware, ought not to be occupied with a mere list of 
names, not otherwise useful but as indicating where 
such animals may be found. 
In a lot adjacent to the village, were collected my own 
herd of Short Horns—all Herd Book animals, showing, 
however, in condescension to New-York prejudice, rather 
more color than would suit the Ohio or Kentucky breed¬ 
ers, who from frequent importations have learned to ad- 
mire the more fashionable color of roan ; and have, from 
their numerous grades, become a little suspicious of too 
much red. In an adjoining lot were a flock of Downs 
comprising about forty ewes, all of them of Mr. J. Ell- 
man’s blood; and four of them drawn, as a matter of 
personal kindness, from his chosen flock of fifty, select¬ 
ed from 700 ewes. It is from this little flock, annually 
drawn out, that Mr. Ellman expects to breed his most 
valuable bucks ; and they are consequently chosen with 
much care ; and the whole flock show the great atten¬ 
tion this gentleman has paid to the quality and evenness 
of the wool; an attention, such as is only found among 
our best flock masters owning Spanish sheep; this will, 
I think, give an extra value to sheep imported from Mr. 
John Ellman’s flock, should the Down become a favorite 
cross with our present Saxons and Merinos. R. 
Butternuts, Otsego Co., Oct. 19, 1840. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
The Crops of 1840,... 165 
Mistaken notions respecting labor—Officers of Ag. So- ? ,,-g 
defies—Vegetable matter in Soils,...> 
Making Pork—Cooking Food for Animals—Extraordi- j 
nary Secretion of Milk—English Beer—Culture of > 167 
the Beet—Beet Sugar,.) 
Diseases and Management of Sheep—Hoof Ail—Dis-"j 
ease of Swine—Bloody Milk—Mr. Kendall’s Cow! 1CQ 
Julia—Great Crop of Corn—To Destroy the Stri- f * 
ped Bug—Notes for the Month,. J 
“Walker on Intermarriage,”. 169 
Docking Horses—Qualifies of Wheat,.. 170 
Dictionary of Agricultural Terms,.._. 171 
Work for the Month—Agricultural Meetings in Octo-'j 
ber—Silk and Silk Worm Eggs—Geological Re- { 
port—Frank, or Dialogue between a Father and j 
Son—Oswego Agricultural Society,. J 
Mr. Prentice’s Short Horn heifer Daisy—Berkshire? 17 o 
Cattle Show—Odds and Ends—Silk,. ) 
Milking—Implements for raising water—A Hen House ) 
■—Fall Plowing for Spring Crops—Winter sowing 1 174 
of Wheat—Apples for Stock,.) 
Letter from N. Crawford—The Barberry—Culture of? — 
the Strawberry—Hessian Fly,.) 
Messrs. Corning & Sotham’s Importation of Stock,-. 176 
Fair of the Ohio State Ag. Society—Remedy for the? 177 
.. S 
Valuable Table—Vermont Bee Hive—Sowing Grass ? j-.g 
Seeds—Letter from Nova Scotia,.$ 
Letters from the West, No. 1—Fair at Rochester,. 179 
Fair of fire Farmers’ Ag. Society of Butternuts,. 180 
For Illustrations, see pages 173, 174, 176 and 177. 
