THE CULTIVATOR. 
181 
was exhibited, and some specimens were particularly 
fine. The variety of agricultural implements was great, 
and properly excited much observation among the farm¬ 
ers present. The show of domestic manufactuied ai ti¬ 
des was not great, hut the quality of the articles was of 
the best kind. This point, the exhibition of domestic 
manufactures, is one which should receive particular 
attention from our societies. Nothing will so soon free 
us from our embarrassments as individuals, or as a na¬ 
tion, as domestic industry. This is the key to prosperi¬ 
ty, and the securing it should never be lost sight of in 
'our efforts to advance the condition of all. 
The address, on the second day, was delivered by 
Wm. P. Van Rensselaer, Esq., of Greenbush, and was 
in the highest degree creditable to him as a scholar, 
and an agriculturist. It will doubtless be published. 
In the afternoon there was a sale of stock. This 
was well attended, and many animals were disposed 
of at fair prices; some indeed at high ones. We have 
only to add, that this first Fair of that rich and spirited 
county, excellent as it has been, is only a prelude and an 
earnest of what Rensselaer county will do hereafter. 
JEFFERSON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Jefferson County has kept up and supported an agri¬ 
cultural society longer than most other counties in the 
state, and the condition of agriculture there has conse¬ 
quently progressed much more rapidly than in many 
other counties. An additional impulse has been given 
by the bounty of the state, and the Fair of last year, and 
particularly the one held this year, have proved that the 
effect has not been lost on the public spirited men of this 
rich county. 
The Cattle Show and Fair was held on the 15th of 
September, at Watertown, and although the day was 
quite rainy and unfavorable, the thousands that assembled 
evinced that their attachment to the objects intended to 
be advanced by the society was not to be damped or in¬ 
terrupted. Jefferson is fast becoming a first rate dairy 
county, and the specimens of butter and cheese shown on 
this occasion, prove that Orange and Dutchess must look 
to their laurels. The show of domestic manufactures 
was unusually fine, and the display of cloths, carpets, &c., 
&c., was most encouraging. Our Jefferson friends are 
right here; they are opening to themselves the true 
source of independence and wealth. The stock exhibit¬ 
ed received general admiration. The plowing match 
came off in fine style; twelve competitors entering, and 
the excellence of the work, the several plows and teams, 
so nearly equal that the task of decision was a difficult one. 
The quantity of sugar made in Jefferson county is great. 
Mr. Canfield of Champion, made no less than thirty bar¬ 
rels of beautiful fine grained sugar this year; and abund¬ 
ance of fine samples were presented at the exhibition. 
The address was delivered by E. Camp, Esq., President of 
the Society, and we have rarely had the pleasure of pe¬ 
rusing a production more pertinent to such an occasion, 
or more practical in its tendencies. The course of Jef¬ 
ferson county, in regard to premiums on farms, awarding 
three of ten, fifteen, and twenty dollars each, for the best 
farms in the county, and one of six dollars to the best 
farm in each town, where one shall be offered for exami¬ 
nation, we think has a happy effect in encouraging farm 
improvement, and deserving attention from the managers 
of other societies. Certainly this course the last year, 
and the present, has furnished us in the form of farm re¬ 
ports, papers of the most valuable kind, and honorable 
to the gentlemen who executed the surveys. The fol¬ 
lowing list of premiums awarded, will show the libera¬ 
lity with which this association is supported; a liberality 
which many other counties would find it for their inte¬ 
rest to imitate: 
3 of $1 each,. $3 
9 of 2 each,. 18 
3d of 3 each,. 105 
17 of 4 each, ■ ■ • .. t8 
16 of 5 each,. 80 
23 of 6 each,. 138 
2 of 8 each,. 16 
2 of 10 each,. 20 
1 of 15 each,. 15 
1 of 20 each,. 20 
No. ofPrems. 109 Ain’t awarded, $493 
The committee on Farms and Dairies visited every 
town in the county, with the exception of Philadelphia. 
From their report we extract a few items relating to the 
dairy; and we shall hereafter endeavor to give the re¬ 
port of the second premium farm, as an interesting and 
honorable proof of what industry can accomplish, when 
directed by skill. The committee examined forty-three 
farms, twenty-seven cheese, and ten butter dairies, and 
traveled more than three hundred miles. “ In the cheese 
dairies 829 cows were milked, and when examined, 
(from the 15th of August to the 1st of September,) they 
had made 197,734 lbs.; calculating the season to be three- 
fourths gone, they would make in all 263,645 lbs., which 
would be 318 lbs. to each cow. This, at 5£ cents per 
pound, would amount to $17.49 per cow, and the butter 
made in the fall and spring from each of the same cows 
must amount to five or six dollars more. In the ten but¬ 
ter dairies 185 cows were milked, and they had made 
15,020 lbs. Taking the aggregate of all the cheese dai¬ 
ries up to August 15th, each cow had averaged per day 
two pounds two and a half ounces of cheese; and the but¬ 
ter dairies, thirteen and a half ounces per day. Calcu¬ 
lating cheese at five and a half cents, and butter at twelve 
and a half cents per pound, there would be a difference 
in favor of making cheese of about one and three-eighths 
cents per day, or one dollar and sixty-nine cents for four 
months. It was uniformly the case that the greatest 
quantity of butter was made from each cow, where the 
quality was the poorest. This goes to confirm the bet¬ 
ter opinion which already exists, that by letting milk 
stand until it becomes loppered the quantity ot cream in¬ 
creases, while the quality deteriorates.” We may re¬ 
mark here, that this opinion is at variance with the 
practice of the celebrated Orange dairies, where the 
milk which produces the fine butter of that county is in¬ 
variably allowed to coagulate or become loppered , pre¬ 
vious to churning*. It is certainly desirable that this 
question should be decided, and we hope some of our 
dairy friends who have the means, will, by manufactur¬ 
ing butter in both ways, with equal skill and care, aid 
the public in this decision. 
ONONDAGA CO. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The Cattte Show and Fair of this county came off on 
the 5th and 6th of October, and was in most respects 
worthy of the high agricultural character of Old Onon¬ 
daga. The horses, cattle, (working cattle especially,) 
and sheep, were very fine; the show of the latter, in the 
opinion of many, being superior to that of the State Fair 
at Albany. The Onondaga Standard states from the se¬ 
veral reports, the number of animals exhibited as fol¬ 
lows : 
Working Oxen,. 
iiliilcllbU oLtJtil Sj • * 
VV UI H.U1& liUl . • 
cn_ ____ . _ _ ...-... mo 
oiift’p,..... 
Swine,.. 
Total of Animals,. 
Quite a variety of agricultural implements from the 
warehouse of Messrs. Smith & Co. of Syracuse, were ex¬ 
hibited and much admired. The number of dairy speci¬ 
mens was small, but the quality good; and the show of 
domestic manufactures limited. There is a decided fault 
in this respect in most of the Fairs of our country. Few 
things give more interest to such meetings, than a full 
display of the handiwork of the hands of our farmers’ 
wives and daughters; and when this subject is bet¬ 
ter understood, we shall see more, not only of these pro¬ 
ducts, but of the makers themselves, at these agricultu¬ 
ral holidays. 
We perceive that our correspondent, E. Marks, Esq., 
received the first premium offered for farms. There are 
hundreds, perhaps thousands, of farms in the county na¬ 
turally as good, or even superior to Mr. Marks’, and this 
result, so honorable to him, is a proof of what industry, 
directed by intelligence and skill, can accomplish in the 
management of a farm. Mr. M. also received the pre¬ 
mium for the best bull; for the best fine wooled ewes; 
and for the best pigs. If possible, we shall make room 
hereafter for the report on plows, and the one on farms. 
ONEIDA COUNTY FAIR, 1842. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —The Annual Cattle 
Show and Fair of this Society was held on the 12th and 
13th, and two finer days never shone; and I venture to say, 
a more imposing exhibition has never been witnessed at 
a county celebration in the state or nation. We had 
made extensive preparations, anticipating a great show, 
and they were all needed. On Tuesday, cattle, sheep, 
swine, mechanic and domestic articles began to arrive; 
on Wednesday, the first day of the Fair, our streets were 
filled, and soon our public square was crowded with the 
cattle, sheep, and horses and their attendants, and farm¬ 
ers. 
The show of cattle was fine; some first rate thorough 
bred animals were exhibited, and the grade and native 
stock was very superior. The show of swine, both in 
number ami quality, I think was decidedly superior to 
the State Fair; mostly of the Berkshire breed and cross. 
In sheep, the number small, but superior. In the dai¬ 
ry department, for premiums on butter, there were twen¬ 
ty-five competitors; and having myself examined the 
specimens at Albany, at the State Fair, and here also, I 
am of the opinion that the butter exhibited at our Fair 
was superior to that. It was truly a most splendid exhi¬ 
bition, and did great credit to the dairies of Oneida. In 
cheese, too, the show was excellent—eleven competi¬ 
tors—and had 1 an opportunity I would send you a spe¬ 
cimen of one of the premium cheeses presented to the 
officers by H. Rhodes, Esq., of Trenton, which would be 
demonstration as to its superiority. 
The ladies’ department was supplied with fabrics which 
would have done honor to any Fair. The exhibition of 
flannels was not only very large, but very superior in¬ 
deed. The committee, composed of men competent to 
decide, reported that it was the best collection of flan¬ 
nels they ever witnessed. 
In the fancy department there was a great variety, and 
much taste was displayed. 
Plows, of various patterns,and agricultural implements, 
from B. F. Smith’s warehouse, Syracuse, and various oth¬ 
er sources, were exhibited. 
In the vegetable department, the show was very ex¬ 
cellent. I cannot particularize. 
Capt. Wm. Merwin, late of the U. S. Navy, a resident 
of Utica, presented six varieties of grapes of his own 
raising, as fine specimens as I ever saw; and also some 
excellent celery plants. You will doubtless be surprised 
to learn, that there were from eight to ten thousand peo¬ 
ple present. The court-house, where our ladies exhibit¬ 
ed their handy work, was literally thronged from morn¬ 
ing till night, and still more desired to be gratified. 
Such a body of farmers was never before collected to¬ 
gether in Oneida. At two the society partook of’a din¬ 
ner at Stanwix Hall, got up in first rate order, at twenty- 
five cents each; not accompanied, as was the agricultu¬ 
ral dinner at Albany, with wines, &c., but in accordance 
with temperance principles, such as farmers practice up¬ 
on, and which I, for one, hope never again will be de¬ 
parted from by the officers of the State Society. 
After dinner a procession was formed and proceeded 
to the church, which was filled with an audience com¬ 
posed of farmers, their wives and daughters, who lis¬ 
tened to an address from the writer, prepared at very 
short notice. If their undivided attention, and a request 
unanimously made for its publication, is evidence that it 
met at least their approbation, all that was given. 
On Thursday the plowing match came off. More than 
two thousand persons, ladies and gentlemen, attended. 
Seventeen competitors entered the field. Among the 
competitors was the President of our Society, the Hon. 
P. Jones, who entered the lists and did his work right 
well. 
The quantity of each land, one quarter of an acre, was 
performed from one hour and five minutes to one and 
three quaarters; one ox team, a noble pair of red cattle, 
doing their work with more rapidity than most of the 
others. The plow was held by a colored man, who was 
an excellent plowman, but labored under the disadvan¬ 
tage of not being used to the team. The work was done 
admirably by all. The first premium was awarded to 
my associate of the Central Farmer, E. Comstock, his 
plowman having performed the best work. But it was 
all admirably done. All the plows which received pre¬ 
miums were of the Livingston county pattern. 
After the plowing match, and a dinner at Stanwix 
Hall, the premiums were declared and paid off) amount¬ 
ing to over $650, and the numerous farmers and their 
wives and daughters returned to their homes; nothing to 
my knowledge, having taken place to mar the festivities 
of the occasion. 
Great credit is due to the Hon. Arnon Comstock of 
Western, chairman of the Committee of Control, and Gen. 
Armstrong, Gen. Marshall, and Col. Utley, Marshals, 
for the good order and arrangement, which, in the exhi¬ 
bition of stock, &c., as well as at the plowing match, ad¬ 
ded so much to the enjoyment of ail present. 
I consider this a most proud occasion for the agricul¬ 
tural interest of Oneida. It shows that our march is on¬ 
ward, beyond all our expectation—the number of com¬ 
petitors much larger than last year—and the exhibition 
in every department far superior. If the State Fair should 
be held in this county, as I trust it may be in due time, 
we will give to you as good an exhibition from Central 
New-York as you had at Albany, and, in some respects, 
I think I may promise superior. 
The report on crops, considering the season, was very 
fair: Winter Wheat, 24^ bushels; Spring Wheat, 37; 
Oats, 112^; Corn, 94; Barley, 64; Potatoes, 696; Rye, 
33; Ruta Baga, 284; Mangel Wurtzel, 1,150; Sugar Beet, 
519; Carrots, 554; the grain by standard weight, the 
roots weighed and 60 lbs. allowed as a bushel; the actu¬ 
al weight being, as you know, much less, which will 
increase the amount per acre nearly one-third. 
The silk department showed a very great improvement, 
both in quality and quantity, since last year; Cocoons 
andsilk exhibited,which were pronounced very superior. 
Hoping hereafter to furnish for the State Society a de¬ 
tailed account of our Fair, 
I subscribe myself, yours, 
Rome, Oct. 15, 1842. B. P. J. 
COLUMBIA COUNTY FAIR. 
We are much indebted to our friend “ N. N. D..,” for 
his account of the recent Fair of the Columbia County 
Agricultural Society, which was held at Hudson Oct. 10. 
The crowded stated of our columns, however, compels 
us, much to our regret, to omit a part of it. He says: 
“ On the ground were 38 cows, 13 bulls, 18 bucks, 25 
ewes, 17 hogs, 3 steers, 16 yokes of working oxen, and 
16 horses, making 162 quadrupeds in all. Then there 
were plows and harrows, cultivators and fanning mills, 
root and straw cutters, pumps and hay presses, quilts and 
comforters, carpets amt toilet covers, wax flowers and 
lace veils, bee hives and cocoons, sewing silk and fine 
linen, huge beefs and potatoes, fine apples and pears, but¬ 
ter and cheese; of the former article one hundred and 
seventeen lots were exhibited,together with almost every 
other article produced or used on the farm. 
“ Iffie best bull on the ground was Osceola, a thorough 
bred Durham from the Patroon s herd; he is owned by 
Ambrose Russel of Claverack. A bull owned by Ira 
Blakeman of Taghkanick, to which I alluded in my ac¬ 
count of last year’s fair, was again exhibited. He was 
sired by Osceola; his dam was a native cow. This was 
a most instructive specimen of the improvement which 
may be effected by a single cross of the improved Short 
Horns with our native stock; but let those who seek to 
produce this improvement remember that there is a vast 
difference even among this celebrated breed; none, there¬ 
fore, but the very best should be selected for this pur¬ 
pose; for, as far as my observation extends, grade ani¬ 
mals are very prone to copy with too faithful accuracy, 
all the defects of the race which is intended for their im¬ 
provement. The very animal of which I am speaking, 
is an instance in point. Osceola’s tail is set on nearly 
up to his hips, and shows that ominous depression at its 
root, so well described by R., at page 157 of your seventh 
volume; and this bull not only copies, but actually exag¬ 
gerates the defect. But notwithstanding this, his superi¬ 
ority to the common natives is strikingly apparent to the 
most superficial observer. 
“ The finest cow on the ground belonged to Hugh Mc¬ 
Clellan of Greenport. She is a mixture of Holderness 
and Durham, and has all the points of a good dairy cow. 
