to understand his profession, which I believe requires more thorough training and study than any other. There has been a very great increase in the value of farms within two years, and the tendency is still upward, good farms selling from $60 to $100 per acre, where they could be bought two years since for $25 to $50 per acre. Fruit is largely cultivated in this county, and of the choicest varieties, and I believe, in a few years this will be one of the first grain growing counties in the State. It is yet comparatively new, and its resources have not been fully developed; but there is a spirit of enterprise in our population, which at no very distant day will cause Niagara county to take that station, which her rich soil and genial climate entitle her to. ONEIDA. REPORT. L. T. MARSHALL, SECRETARY. The eleventh Annual Exhibition of the Oneida county Agriculral Society, was held at Utica, on the 9th, 10th and 11th days of September, and, although the weather was oppressively warm, and the direct cause of deterring many from an attendance with their material for exhibition, the show was crowned with better success than was ever before attained by the society. This being the first exhibition ever held at Utica by our county society, the introduction was made most agreeable by the citizens of the place, by a marked degree of liberality evinced, in the extensive and ample arrangements for the exhibition. Twelve acres were enclosed, after the manner of the State Fair, in close proximity to the business part of the city, and the material for exhibition sub-divided into four departments, arranged in appropriate halls, with the following appellations at each entrance: "Floral Hall," "Domestic Hall," "Dairy Hall," and "Manufacturers' Hall," which were well represented by the skill and productions of those of nearly all occupations and professions of the county. The plowing match took place on the first day of the fair, and although the ground was intolerably hard, (which was caused by the drought,) and the strength of the teams brought in close requisition, the plowmen performed their duties admirably. The exhibition of stock, (except swine,) was never better, and evinced a disposition on the part of competitors for improvement in the selection and breeding of good animals. The Annual Address was delivered on the second day of the ' Fair by Hon. John A. Dix, familiarly known throughout the State for his good sound practical sense, and which was fully evinced on this occasion. The address was delivered under the society's large tent to as many thousands as could approach within hearing distance, who gave the best attention with intense interest. The success of this society has been progressive. Each successive year since its first formation has added strength to its stability and usefulness, by an annual increase of its members and by a manifest increased interest throughout in all its bearings, both as a social institution and a potent agent in exciting an interest in the improvement of all the varied branches of industry. By the patronage of a small donation from the State, a noble few individuals of the county, on the passage of the law for the promotion of agriculture, immediately organized our county society, who by their zeal and fidelity, systematized its routine of operations, and were the first to carry into effect the intent and meaning of the law of 1841, by holding an exhibition in the following October, with great credit to the county and signal honor to themselves. Among that noble few none was more conspicuous or rendered more signal service in the cause they had espoused than the present efficient and worthy Secretary of the New-York State Agricultural Society, Col. B. P. Johnson. I herewith submit an abstract statement of the treasurer's report, which shows the financial condition of the society: Amount received of former treasurer,... $759 63 do do members,.... [Ag, Trans, 1852.] / 36. 25 660 00 Amount received for sale of tickets at fair, $843 27 255 00 do do from State Treasurer,. $2,517 90 Amount of expense and premiums to Jan. 1, 1852, 1,130 08 $1,387 82 T Premiums awarded at Winter meeting. On Winter Wheat.-To E. R. Dix, Vernon, for 86 bushels on three acres and 43 rods of ground. Spring Wheat.-To Charles W. Eells, of Westmoreland, 30 bushels and 50 lbs. per acre. Barley.-To Wm. Osborn, jr., of Marshall, 89 bushels from 1 Ta acres. Corn.-To Robert Eells, of Westmoreland, 797 bushels per acre. Oats-To H. B. Bartlett, of Paris, 724 bushels per acre. Grass Seed To Charles W. Eells, Westmoreland, 64 bushels per acre. Winter Seedling Apples.-To Eli B. Lucas, of Kirk, land, for a beautiful sweet winter seedling; also, to Pliment Mattoon, of Vienna, for a tart winter seedling called Pie-Russet. The following gentlemen were elected officers, at the Annual Meeting, for the ensuing year: President, Amasa S. Newbury, Sangerfield; Vice Presidents, Horatio N. Carey, Marcy; Calvin Bishop, Verona. Treasurer, Roland S. Doty, Rome. Secretary, Levi T. Marshall, Vernon. ex-committee of ten.. An Report of L. T. Marshall, Secretary, in answer to circular of the President of the State Society. Sir-In accordance with the request contained in your circular, I herewith transmit brief answers to your interrogatories, which are not gathered from statistical information, but from general information and observation, and perhaps not entirely reliable, but such as I may be permitted to suppose in the main, approximate correctness. The chief agricultural production of Oneida county, may very properly be set down as hay and grass. As about three-fourths of the entire arable land of the county is occupied in the production of pasturage and meadow hay, for the purpose of producing butter, cheese, beef, and wool, although cattle and horses are reared to considerable extent, but in less proportions, doubtless, than the other commodities named. Perhaps no county in the State has a more diversified or mixed husbandry than that of Oneida. The northern portion of the county being devoted more exclusively to the dairying interest, while the southern is much less so. The best arable land being devoted to the production of corn, oats, and barley, but very little attention has been paid to the raising of wheat for several years past, on account of the destruction made by insects. But as those troublesome pests have in a measure decreased, there is of late beginning to be more attention turned to the cultivation of wheat, with remunerating returns. The chief product from the hay and grass produced, is that of butter and cheese, which is manufactured to a great extent, and generally by very successful dairymen, who obtain very liberal yields, which command the highest price in market. The manufacture of both butter and cheese is pursued with much more system than formerly, and hence an increased yield and better article. The past season, from certain causes, has failed of producing the usual quantity from the same resources as the previous and former years, which is attributable to the drought of the middle and latter portion of the season. The usual quantity of butter produced by good dairymen upon grass alone, is about 200 lbs. per cow. While that of cheese is from 400 to 500 lbs. per cow. Those products can be increased by the use of extra feed, which is resorted to by many with profit. The average price of butter the past season, delivered on the canal or railroad, is about fourteen cents per pound, and that of cheese six cents. The corn crop of the county forms quite an important item in our annual product, one half of which is used for home consumption, while the other portion is usually disposed of to distillers. The yield of corn the past season was much below an ordinary yield, on account of the cold ungenial weather, in the early part of the season, and early frosts of autumn. Oats are raised exten sively throughout the county, and many thousand bushels annually shipped to the eastern market. Barley is not raised to much extent, except in a few of the southern towns of the county, which produce a good article for malting, and which is generally used for that purpose. The towns of Sangerfield, Marshall and Augusta, annually produce about three hundred thousand pounds of hops. The town of Sangerfield alone producing one hundred and sixty thousand pounds. The average yield per acre, being about one thousand pounds, although some scientific successful growers produce two thousand pounds per acre, while others fall below one thousand. The income to the producers of hops in those three towns, the past year, at twenty cents a pound, (which is about the average price) amounts to six hundred thousand dollars for this particular product; although it is proper to state, that the price of hops for the past two years have ruled much above the ordinary rates. No farm product is more fluctuating in price, or attended with more expense in cultivation than that of hops. Teazles, are also raised to some extent in those towns named, which find a market at our own and eastern woolen manufactories, at from seventy-five cents to one dollar per thousand, although the present supply seems greater than the demand, and hence they have become dull and unsaleable. About ten millions of teazles are annually produced in those towns, including that of Vernon, which lies adjoining those mentioned. Considerable attention has also been paid the past year, to the cultivation of tobacco, although it may only prove an experiment. The past season in this section, has been propitious to all farm crops, (except to corn and pasturage) as before stated, As an illustration of the comparative product of butter and cheese, the town of Vernon presents the following exhibit, from the census of 1850, as taken by the writer, with much care and |