otherwise, we should suppose, from the known intelligence of the enterprising farmers of this county, possessing, as they do, as fine a soil as probably is to be found in the State. The facilities opened to them by the railroad to New-York must contribute largely to the wealth of the farmers, and every improvement which the investigations of others has demonstrated as valuable, should, and we doubt not will, be adopted. CHENANGO. The annual meeting of the Society was held on the 1st Tuesday of January, and the officers for the year appointed. They consist of a President, seven Vice Presidents, two Secretaries, a Treasurer and one Manager in each town in the county. The business of the preceding year was closed, and premiums awarded on field crops. On the 3d of July the officers of the Society met and made out a list of premiums, and appointed committees of judges for the fair, to be held at Oxford on the 25th and 26th days of September. A committee of five gentlemen was appointed to make arrangements for the fair. The duties of this committee are highly important, and much depends on their active exertions in getting up the exhibition. The friends of Agriculture and the arts were gratified by a numerous attendance at the fair, and the exhibition for premiums was creditable to the county, and evinced an increasing interest in the objects of the Society. A large proportion of our farmers are engaged in the business of making butter and cheese. Our fine pastures and pure water enable our dairymen to manufacture large quantities of excellent butter, which commands good prices in market. It is to be noticed, to the credit of our butter making, that at the last State fair, the first premium on butter in one of the classes, was awarded to a Chenango farmer. The books kept at the canal offices and store houses, enable us to state the quantity of butter and cheese sent to market by the Chenango canal this year. It is as follows: Butter (after deducting the weight of tubs and firkins), 1,966,929 pounds. Cheese, 1,035,256 pounds. It is estimated that one-tenth of the quantity manufactured finds its way to market by the New-York and Erie Railroad, and routes other than the Chenango canal, which added to the above, makes an aggregate of 2,185,476 pounds of butter, and 1,150,284 pounds of cheese, manufactured in the county this year. The articles of domestic manufacture were very numerous, and showed great skill, industry and taste. Additional interest was given to this part of the exhibition by the attendance of a large number of ladies. The committee of arrangements, aided by the town managers, appointed a committee of fifty ladies, five from each of the ten towns nearest to the place of the Fair, to assist the committee on domestic manufactures in awarding premiums on articles appropriately referred to their taste and judgment. The exhibition of animals was such as to attract much attention. The brevity of this report does not allow us to go into particulars, yet we cannot omit noticing some fat cattle belonging to Mr. Whiteman Willcox, the ages and live weight of which were as follows: 1 three years old steer, weight,.... 2,250 lbs. Also a pair of well broke steers, 3 years old, belonging to Mr. Augustus Ross, weighing 3,600 lbs. The committee on Devon bulls, in their report, state that they are of opinion that a cross of the Devons upon the Durhams and native breeds, will be highly advantageous to the graziers and dairymen of Chenango county. The committee on working oxen and steers, express their satisfaction with the working oxen and steers, presented to them for inspection, and believe the specimens superior to those of former years. We not only hope, but believe, that the same energy will exist until Chenango will be able to compete with any other portion of the State or Union. The committee on sheep, state, that the numbers were much less than should have been presented at the Chenango County Fair; some of which were very good specimens of the grades to which they belong, and worthy the county they represent; but the committee cannot omit this opportunity to express their regret that the finest flocks have not been represented. The committee would recommend to those who wish to increase the weight of their fleeces, to examine the flock owned by Mr. Hakes, of Pitcher, it being our opinion that they are a superior quality of sheep to breed from for that purpose. John Shattuck and Luther Osgood, jr., committee on farms, report that they have had but one application to view farms, and that was by George Juliand, of Green. His farm is situated about half a mile west of the village of Green; is elevated about 100 feet above the Chenango river, and contains 400 acres of land, of which 270 acres are under improvement. The soil is a yellowish loam, and is well adapted to grazing; about 80 acres of the farm are in meadow, and this season yielded 200 tons of hay, at the rate of 24 tons per acre. The rest of the farm is principally in pasture, and is well arranged for that purpose. The committee take pleasure in saying, that the systematic arrangement of the buildings, lots and fences, the neatness and general appearance of the farm and buildings, the order and arrangement of farming tools, &c., all in their places, and a place for all things, do credit to Mr. Juliand, as a neat, practical farmer. The committee without hesitation, recommend this as a model farm to the farmers of Chenango, especially in fencing, and arrangement of lots. Mr. Juliand informed the committee, he had lived on the farm 15 years, and had re-laid nearly every rod of fence on the farm. There are three miles of stone wall, all staked and double top poled, with chesnut poles, generally halved or split. The rest is rail fence, seven and eight rails high, well staked in every corner. Mr. J. keeps about 100 head of steers, 3 and 4 years old this season, and had kept droves, amounting to 2,500 head. The beautiful steers and oxen on the farm, some of which were exhibited at the fair, showed that they had not suffered for want of feed this season, notwithstanding the severe drought. Mr. Juliand's manner of manuring, is top dressing with long manure, ashes, and plaster. The buildings on the farm, are all in good repair, many of them nearly new. The dwelling house is situated a little back from the road, surrounded with a beautiful grove of shade trees, and within view of the village, making it a most delightful location. The wagon houses, barns and sheds, were all literally filled with the productions of the farm. The first premium is awarded to Mr. Juliand. JOHN TRACY, President. Abstract of account for the year 1849. 1849. Jan. 2nd. Balance in hands of treasurer,.. Sept. 20th. Cash from State Treasurer,.. 1 Vol. Transactions sold,. $136 62 122 00 ་་ 25th. Collected of members,... 280 77 1 00 $540 39 By amount paid out for premiums and expenses, $423 81 Balance in treasurer's hands, Dec. 19, 1849,........ $116 58 CLINTON. In compliance with the requirements of the law on the subject, I transmit the following abstract of the proceedings of the Clinton Co. Agricultural Society for the year 1849; and I assure you it affords me not a little pleasure as an officer of the society, that I am able this once, to report progress; for it may, I think be safely asserted, that during the past year some progress has been made. For the first year or two, all went on tolerably well, except that the withdrawal of disappointed competitors and the small amount of the premiums which the society was able to offer, were all the time laying the foundation for that state of things which ensued. At length, the society became so reduced in point of numbers, and as a consequence, the burden of raising the amount of funds annually required to entitle the society to the appropriation from the state, fell so heavily on a few, that the question, how can the regular sum be raised, became one of grave import. Various expedients were from year to year adopted. To gratify his eye with seeing, a man will often pay his shilling, when all the arguments in the world could not draw from him the farthing in aid of the best reform association in the land. Based upon this well-known principle of human nature, permanent show grounds become not only one of the best, but in ordinary cases the only reliable means of securing the funds necessary to the successful operation of an agricultural society. It was in view of this fact, that the Clinton county society at its seventh anniversary, finding itself without funds and despairing of success by any other means, resolved on making an attempt to obtain a permanent establishment. The experiment was undertaken, and the result has been completely successful. Whether the final success of the undertaking or the presumption in which it was projected will excite the greater admiration, I know not; but this thing at least is certain, that no other society could possibly have made a similar undertaking under less favorable circumstances. Our society proceeded at once to offer the location of its fairs for a term of five years to the place which should at the earliest date raise voluntary subscriptions and place at its disposal a sum sufficient to erect such enclosure, buildings and other fixtures, as the executive committee should deem necessary. Plattsburg being the county town, had the preference until a certain day, after which competition was to be open to the county. The result was, Keeseville became the successful competitor, her citizens furnishing the requisite subscription and a much larger amount than had been voted necessary. By the means thus secured, and with a small appropriation from the society, and the aid of individual exertion, show grounds have been fitted up of a character, both as regards the extent and variety of accom modation, and the style and finish of the buildings and appurtenances, quite creditable to the county, if not the best in the State. The ground selected is very conveniently located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Keeseville, and contains 7 acres, lying in the form of a parallelogram, 40 rods long, 30 in breadth; the surface being level, and the soil always dry. It is enclosed by a tight wooden paling nearly eight feet in height; next within the paling is a graded carriage-way, or drive, 20 feet in width; and inside are tieing poles for cattle and horses, and pens for sheep and swine, extending around the lot. The building for the exhibition of manufactured articles, fruits, flowers, vegetables, &c., stands nearly in the center of the grounds, and is 100 feet long by 25 in width. At one corner of the lot, adjoining the highway and contiguous to one of the principal entrances, is a smaller building, designed as the general business office of the society. The front of this building is occupied by a range of counters, opening by folding windows to the highway, for the sale of tickets and the entry of animals and articles intended for the fair; while the rear is used as a general committee room. Both these buildings are got up in the rural Gothic style, which though they are cheaply constructed, gives, not only to the buildings but to the whole concern, an appearance of stability and air of neatness, taste and finish, highly appropriate to such an establishment. Among the fixtures, one worthy of special notice as being something new-or at least by no means common-is an apartment for the exercise of horses, during the examination by the judges. It consists of a circular area, ten rods in diameter, graded, and surrounded by a neat and substantial railing. In the centre of the area stands the general flagstaff, for the grounds. The utility of this arrangement will be readily apprehended. None but the judges and the groom, or driver, being admitted within the railing; and the former occupying a central position, a much better opportunity is afforded to judge with precision of the carriage and action of the animal, than by any ordinary method of examination. Aside, however, from the mere utility of the thing, these exercises are found to constitute one of the most interesting features of our exhibitions. The entire cost of the enclosure, buildings, and fixtures, including the digging and stoning of two wells, grading, &c., amounted to $918.24, of which the sum of $800.94 was defrayed by voluntary subscriptions, leaving a balance of $117.30, required for the completion of the buildings, which was advanced by the president out of his own |