170 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
makes himself sufficiently conspicuous by the good he 
does and the gratitude and respect he commands. 
The result of this increase of wealth and intelligence 
among the farmers, is, that they become more patriotic, 
more social and more communicative. They are not 
like other professions—they have no professional se¬ 
crets—on the contrary, they take a pleasure in commu¬ 
nicating whatever will interest, or please, or be useful 
to their neighbors—if they have a better breed of pigs, 
cattle or horses, they do not strive to monopolize it; 
and if they have discovered any thing new in the culti¬ 
vation of the earth, they disclose it to their neighbors 
with pleasure and pride. This makes them desire to 
congregate together, exhibit what they have to show, 
and communicate what they have to teach and enjoy, 
at least once a year, the “ jubilee” of the farmer. In 
a country like this, where there are so few holydays 
of any sort, how reasonable and proper this is, espe¬ 
cially since the days of rum drinking are gone by, 
and they collect and part like temperate and rational 
men. 
Society must arrive at a certain pitch as to knowledge, 
wealth and comfort, before this can take place. Nor 
does it detract in the least from the merits of the 
“ pioneers” of the wilderness. Their means were too 
stinted and their occupations too severe to do anything 
but to provide the immediate necessaries for themselves 
and their families. 
It is also a truth not be lost sight of, that we 
have now a fund of experience, partly growing out 
of the existence of the old societies, partly from 
the natural course of events, to direct us in the man¬ 
agement of these societies, Avhich we did not form¬ 
erly possess. One great evil we met with in those days 
was the mode in which premiums were distributed. It 
seemed on some occasions like a mere scramble for mo¬ 
ney, instead of reputation ; the consequence Avas that 
avc saw little of that disinterested spirit Avhich should 
characterize alike the disappointed and the successful 
candidate; and heart burnings and bitter rivalships fre¬ 
quently gre w out of it, which misrepresented and im¬ 
pugned the motives of the judges and operated unfortu¬ 
nately. 
More or less of this will perhaps now exist, but if 
good judgment and great precaution are used, most of 
it can now be avoided, the more easily from the supe¬ 
rior intelligence xvhich now prevails. Another Avay to 
avoid it is to gratify as many competitors as possible, 
and for this reason make the premiums more extensive 
and general, and give them more Aveight in character 
than in money. 
With all these advantages arising from this increased 
wealth and progress in knowledge, if the great body 
of our hard-working farmers will lend their aid in time 
and money (and but very little from each is needed,) 
the society is sure to succeed, a noble impulse will he 
given to the cause of agriculture, and the beneficial 
operation of the lavv be felt in all branches of the com¬ 
munity. Wealthy and public spirited citizens will be 
found among our rich merchants and professional men 
of age and leisure, who will take pleasure and pride 
in seconding the efforts of the farmers ; and thus an in¬ 
stitution will be handsomely sustained, calculated to add 
greatly to the wealth, power and reputation of the 
State of New-York. 
One great advantage, if no other, aauII grow out of 
these annual meetings. It w ill convene together in one 
great social body, all the leading and efficient friends of 
of agriculture in the state. These meetings will be 
composed of a high order of men, of congenial feelings 
and occupations. 
Their views will be similar, their objects will accord, 
their meetings Avill be social and friendly, they will 
meet in good cheer, act in concert, and part with the 
kindest feelings. Can any thing but unmixed good 
come out of such an association? Party spirit and 
sectarianism Avill be banished, and no interest will claim 
attention but such as a gentleman and a Christian can 
conscientiously support. Such meetings Avill serve to 
bind together our republic, and would be useful, even did 
they not give a new impulse and an additional charac¬ 
ter to the'most useful, necessary and healthy of all oc¬ 
cupations. The scene before me of hundreds, of hap. 
py, intelligent, independent fanners, collected from all 
parts of the state, not to engage in political strife and 
quarrel about office, but met together for their coun¬ 
try’s good, consulting how best to promote the farming 
interest, Avith no jarring interest, and no heart burnings 
of any sort but good Avill and benevolence smiling in 
every countenance, is one of unalloyed pleasure and 
satisfaction. 
The county societies Avill send their delegations, and 
thus you will have combined in one body, on any anni¬ 
versary of the society, an immense mass of intelligence, 
congregated from every section of the state, bringing 
intosocial and happy and profitable intercourse, those 
Avho Avould otherAvise be strangers ; and who by their 
proceedings will collect and embody an abundance of 
useful information, not only upon farming but upon 
other great interests of the state. One subject aviII pre- 
eminently claim their attention, for in traveling to this 
place it Avill be deeply impressed upon their minds. I 
mean that of u internal improA'ement.” This should 
never be lost sight of , and depend upon it, if our legisla¬ 
tors do, the people will not, and if you av1io hav r e al¬ 
ready had your rail-roads and canals will not help 
others, we will knock at the doors of your legislative 
halls till you shall hear us,—yes, and aid us too, espe¬ 
cially when you are about to have from the public 
lands $480,000 a year, and an enormous income from 
your canals and salt duties. As farmers have no pro¬ 
fessional secrets, as they delight to communicate all 
their discoveries and improvements, and exhibit the best 
specimens of their skill and their flocks, these meetings 
cannot be othervAuse than useful, as well as most in¬ 
teresting and agreeable. As the occupation of the plow 
is of no party, as the times are those of temperance, as 
farmers are characterised by the love of order as Avell 
as zeal for the public welfare, being identified with the 
soil, as they justly realize their responsibilities, being the 
foundation on which rests the happiness and subsistence 
of all, there is no danger of any sort to be apprehend¬ 
ed from these gatherings, but that they will come and 
pass oil’ as the jubilees of the farmers always do,. with 
the greatest order and decorum. 
If husbandry is made respectable, as it ought to be, 
it will serve to check one of the greatest evils that 
bears now heaxdly upon the community—the rush of our 
young men into the learned professions/which are already 
filled to the overtloAving, especially that of the law, 
which, under the present wretched course of legisla¬ 
tion, of making litigation cheap, is starving this once 
honorable and most useful profession. 
Yet it is thought to be the high road to office and ho¬ 
nor, and ambitious fathers and weak mothers are for 
making their sons great lawyers and eminent judges. 
Infatuated policy ! The greater share of them never 
rise higher than rspectable pettifoggers. Many of 
them get disheartened, sink into dissipation and idleness; 
the best—yes. the very best lead lives of labor and 
anxiety, drag through a life of dyspepsia and “ blue 
devils,” and if they arrive at rank and office, they are 
made perfect slaves of, Avith half pay, and get more 
curses than blessings from their constituents. 
The business of the farmer knows no such anxiety, 
is accompanied Avith no such risks, it is quiet and peace¬ 
ful. Make it intelligent, and you open to it the first 
and highest honors of your country ; there are no pre¬ 
judices against it as against that of the laAV ; there is 
no limit to it; it is broad and extensive enough for all; 
a rich and broad domain, the vast possessions of the 
government lie open to us—it invites to cultivation and 
improvement. If our rich men Avill plant themselves 
in the country, and educate their sons to the care and 
knowledge of the farm, they Avould see the land smiling 
around them, their children be honored in their indus¬ 
try, the occupation of the pIoav be elevated and respect¬ 
ed, their sons prove healthy, robust and strongmen, 
and they and their descendants become, as the land¬ 
holders are in England, the great men and strong props 
of the government- Hard and incessent toil is not es¬ 
sential in any farmer, nor any toil equal to the exhaust¬ 
ing unhonored labors of the laAvyer and mechanic—a 
few hours a day devoted to the regulation and super¬ 
intendance of the farm, affording a most Avholsome and 
agreeable exercise to the body, is all that is requisite 
in the independent farmer—reading, Avriting, &c. will 
pleasantly and profitably occupy the rest of the day. 
To ray brother lawyers in particular, Avould I recom¬ 
mend this kind of life as the happiest and the best. 
They are capable of making good farmers, and Avhen 
advanced in life they are fit for little else ; the strife and 
raivalship of the Iuav are neither suited to their own 
temper nor taste. They are often, if not generally, first 
and foremost in every good work. Let them set the 
example in this. I regret not meeting more of them on 
this occasion. It is said to be dull times for them—three 
hundred are said to have cleared out from the city of 
Ne-v-York. I hoped to have met some of them here— 
the country and the pIoav will receive them Avith open 
arms, and give them plenty of honest business. There 
is room enough for them all. I offer myoAvn experience 
as a slight and hmble instance of what may be easily 
effected—I have had the pleasure of superintending a 
farm—I have succeeded to my entire satisfaction—my 
farm is groAving up under my oAvn eye, yearly develop¬ 
ing neAV bea uties and iicav sources of income and improve¬ 
ment, and if it dees not make me a richer, it makes me a 
healthier, and I trust a better man. In fact dyspepsia 
and the blue devils immediately left me. I am con¬ 
scious that the occupation is an honest one; I knorv it is 
a healthy and pleasant one; and as it interferes Avith no 
man, it is a peaceful one, and all nature tells me it is one 
that God Avill bless and prosper. 
L. F. Allen, Esq. of Buffalo, followed Mr. Sterling, 
and deeply interested theaudience by his happy combina¬ 
tion of theory and practice, his plain straight forward 
manner, his reflections and illustrations, evidently the 
result of experience, and the earnest manner in Avhich 
he enforced the facts presented. We are gratified in 
being able to state that no wine or spirits was provided, 
and the event shoAved that they Avere not needed to ena¬ 
ble farmers to talk or hear. This is an example Avhich 
we hope will be folloAved on all similar occasions. 
The beautiful cattle and horses on the ground were 
evidently the lions of the first day, and the continued 
throngs of spectators around the pens that contained 
the fine animals of SherAvood and Prentice, Corning 
and Bement, and the Avarm expressions of admiration 
they elicited from the observers, must have been gratify¬ 
ing to the spirited proprietors. There was also another 
point of attraction whi ch drew croAvds on this day. There 
were three yoke of fat cattle on the ground, tAvo from 
Onondaga county and one from Ontario, Avhich Avould 
of themselves have constituted no inferior exhibition, 
Aveighing as the six animals did, not far from eighteen 
thousand pounds. It is much questioned whether any 
part of the United States can shoAV their superiors. 
They were in truth mountains of flesh. One of these 
fine premium cattle, the property of Mr. Rust of the 
Syracuse House, has since the Fair been slaughtered, 
and the proprietor, with characteristic liberality, trans¬ 
mitted one quarter of the superior beef to Albany, to 
be sold for the benefit of the State Agricultural Society. 
Live weight of the ox slaughtered, Sept. 25, 2,750 
lbs.—Weight after he was dressed, including hide and 
tallow, 2,169 lbs.—His quarters alone, weighed 1,784 
lbs. 
On the evening of the first day, the large Presbyte¬ 
rian Church was filled to overflowing, to listen to an 
address to the Society from President Nott of Union 
College. The address was what was to have been ex¬ 
pected from the occasion, and from the man. The sub¬ 
ject was a noble one, “ The Dignity of Labor,” and 
beautifully and forcibly Avas it illustrated and treated. 
The hearty applause with which the address Avas re¬ 
ceived by the audience, spoke most eloquently their 
approval of the patriotic and dignified truths to which 
they had listened. But of the address, it is unnecessa¬ 
ry to say more at present, as Ave hope before long to 
have the pleasure of laying it in extenso before our 
readers, as a committee, consisting of Messrs. Id. Bald- 
Avin of Syracuse, M. Sterling of WatertOAvn, and I. 
Smith of Albany, Avere appointed to request a copy 
for the press. 
On the second day the trial of ploAvs to test their draft, 
and the plowing match under the direction of the Onon¬ 
daga Society, came cdf, and as was to have been expect¬ 
ed, excited much interest among the numerous farmers 
in attendance. The ground selected by the committee 
of arrangements, Avas on the farm of J. H. Johnson, 
Esq. on the great plain of the Onondaga valley, and 
near the southern boundary of the city corporation. 
The ground was hard and dry, falling to pieces when 
turned up by the ploAvs, rendering it difficult to 
make a clean furrow, or show the precise manner of 
the Avorking of the implements. The effort among the 
ploAvmen, to the spectators, seemed to be to do the Avork 
well, rather than quickly, and considering the nature 
of the ground ploAved, the Avork in general was done in 
a Avay that proved the skill of the plowman as well as 
the goodness of the implements used. That frequent 
defect in ploAvs, and in ploAving, was, however, in some 
instances observed here. Instead of the bottom of the 
furroAV being left flat, OAving either to a defect in the 
implements or the holding, the land side of the furrow 
Avas cut much deeper than the other, thus giving an un¬ 
even or notched appearance to a cross section of the 
furrows, and failing to stir the ground equally to the 
same apparent depth. Most unfortunately for the com¬ 
petitors in the ploAving match, or the comfort of the 
crowd of spectators, a cold drizzling rain was falling, 
which materially interfered Avith the performances. For 
the result of and trial of draft we must refer to the re¬ 
port. 
A new ploAV, presented by Messrs. Buggies, Nourse 
& Co. of Worcester, (Mass.) to the senior editor of the 
Cultivator, Avas on the ground at the plowing match, 
and though not offered for the premiums, it excited 
much notice from the excellence of its materials, manu¬ 
facture, and just construction, as Avell as for the perfec¬ 
tion and ease of its work. 
The sIioav of agricultural implements Avas most satis¬ 
factory. The number of thrashing machines, horse¬ 
powers, straAv-cutters, fanning mills, ploAvs, barroAvs, 
cultivators, barrows, drills, cradles, sythes, pitchforks, 
liorse-rakes, &c. Sec. Avas very great, and exhibited 
much mechanical ingenuity and skill. These, with the 
farm products, horticultural articles, and domestic 
manufactures, formed a collection of much interest and 
variety. Such was the dense mass of spectators Avhich 
filled every room and avenue of the court house, that it 
was Avith no little difficulty the committees obtained ac¬ 
cess during the hours of exhibition; and it was evident 
that a proper arrangement of all the articles Avould re¬ 
quire a far more spacious building. 
At 2 o’clock the rail-road depot, in its large extent, 
Avas filled to hear the premiums announced, and so ma¬ 
ny of the reports of the several committees ns Avere 
prepared. The decisions in general appeared to give 
stisfaction, although in some instances, as usual in such 
cases, many of the spectators may have differed from 
the judges, and the numerous premiums aAvarded Avere 
paid to the successful competitors in gold or plate, at 
their option, it being generally understood that the Ben¬ 
ton mint drops are considered unobjectionable “ per se,” 
and never injurious to the farmer. 
About nine hundred persons sat doAvn to dinner at 
the Syracuse House on the second day, and as on the 
first day, the feast Avas enlivened by several excellent 
speeches from gentlemen present. Among these were 
Mayor Van Vechten of Albany ; Mr. Garbutt of 
Monroe ; Mr. Patterson, ex-Speaker of the Assembly; 
Mr. Baldwin of Syracuse; Mr. Sanford, President of 
the Onondaga Agricultural Society, and several other 
gentlemen. 
We are happy to be able to give the remarks of Mr. 
BaldAvin on this occasion, and regret similar reports 
from the other speakers hax r e not been furnished. 
The President of the Society, Joel B. Nott, Esq. 
having, in a \ r ery complimentary manner, alluded to 
the action of the committee of arrangements, and the 
manner in which the Society had been received by the 
citizens of Syracuse, H. Baldwin, Esq. one of the com¬ 
mittee of arrangements, rose and remarked i 
K 
