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had produced scarcely anything but sorrel. This was plowed up in the spring of 1851, and subsoiled altogether 18 inches deep, a mixture of twenty bushels of shell lime and four of salt well mixed, spread over the lot, and harrowed in, and planted with White flint corn, manured in the hill. It has stood the drouth the best in the neighborhood, and the ears well filled out. Night soil is occasionally procured from Brooklyn, at a cost of one shilling a bushel, and brought up in casks containing from nine to twelve bushels, and mixed with sawdust, plaster, and soil; applied to garden truck, between 9,000 and 11,000 heads of cabbage have been taken per acre from land so treated.

8. During the past year, farms have increased in value from five to ten per cent., and many acres of unimproved land have been purchased by German emigrants for cultivation. The profits of raising garden vegetables are the greatest of all productions, one farmer having refused near $250 per acre for his land near Williamsburgh, stating it would pay him a better profit than the money put out at interest.

RENSSELAER.

REPORT. J. J. VIELE, SECRETARY.

In pursuance of the requirements of the statute, providing for the organization of the State and County Agricultural Societies, the Rensselaer County Agricultural Society begs leave respectfully to report: That in the month of March, 1851, the executive committee convened and revised their premium list, by which they offered on the various productions of the farm, the manufactory, and the workshop, about the sum of two thousand dollars. Their meetings were held nearly monthly, during the season, and their Annual Cattle show and Fair was held upon the society's grounds, in the city of Troy, on the 25th, 26th and 27th days of September last. The executive committee regret to be compelled to say, that their exhibition, although highly respectable, was not as good as in some previous years, nor was the attendance and receipts as

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large. This was in a measure owing to the severe drouth of the season, which had stinted the productions of the soil and kept in poor condition most of the stock of the county. Again, it is questionable whether the multiplicity and frequency of these fairs has not, in a measure, sated the curiosity and general interest heretofore manifested in the community. Indeed, it is a matter of great doubt whether sufficient interest can be kept up in the community to sustain annual county fairs for any great length of time. The changes and improvements are usually so unimportant and inconsiderable in one year, that it would almost seem as if each exhibition was but a repetition of the one before. It is respectfully suggested, therefore, whether it would not be a sound and judicious policy to hold the fairs biennially instead of annually.

The receipts during the year from all sources, as appears from the treasurer's report, made at the annual meeting held in February last, are as follows:

The whole amount received by the treasurer since the last annual report, is,

Whole amount of disbursements during the same time

$2,178 09

2,058 91

is,.... Leaving a balance in the hands of the treasurer of,. $119 18

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A large number of diplomas and Transactions were also awarded at the annual fair.

At the Annual Meeting held in February last, the committees on field crops made the following reports, and the premiums awarded were paid in addition to those stated in treasurer's report:

Mr. L. C. Ball, from one of the committees on field crops, reported the following: The committee appointed to award premiums on corn, broom corn, flax and timothy seed, report: That no application was made for premiums on corn, broom corn, and timothy seed, and but one competitor for the premium on flax. Mr. Peter Stover claims to have raised on 1,37% acres of ground, 550 pounds of lint, and 213 bushels of seed, at a profit of $34.56 per acre. The committee award to Peter Stover the first premium.

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Horace Herrington, from the committee on grains and the culture thereof, reported as follows: The committee on wheat, rye, oats, barley, beans, peas and buckwheat, before making their report would remark, that the number of competitors on field crops warrants them in indulging the belief that the farmers of this county are giving the subject more and more attention, and that the interest in agricultural pursuits in this county is rapidly increasing, showing conclusively the benefits resulting from the establishment of the Rensselaer County Agricultural Society.

After carefully examining the claims of the numerous competitors for premiums, they beg leave to submit the following report: They award the first premium to Eleazer Lockwood, of the town of Brunswick, for the best crop of winter wheat. From the papers submitted by him to the committee, and which were in conformity with the by-laws of the society, it appears that he raised on two acre of land, 69, bushels of beautiful Mediterranean wheat, weighing over 60 pounds to the measured bushel.

The second premium to B. K. Bryant, of Schaghticoke, for the second best crop of winter wheat; he raised on 2 18 acres of land 63 bushels of Mediterranean wheat, a beautiful sample which would weigh at least sixty pounds to the measured bushel. Your committee would suggest to the farmers of this county, the importance of cultivating this kind of wheat. It is a hard, firm and sound wheat, weighing 60 pounds or over to the measured bushel; is seldom attacked by the weevil; yields largely to the acre, and when made into flour produces an article which is worth two to four shillings per barrel more than flour from the ordinary white wheat; it contains more gluten, and consequently will produce more pounds of bread, exceeding in many cases the flour manufactured from the common white wheat, 20 to thirty pounds to the barrel. They award the third premium to George Vail, Esq., of the city of Troy, for the third best crop of winter wheat. This was a fine sample of white flint wheat. The yield was 79 bushels, on a field containing 31 acres. Francis McChesney, of Schaghticoke, presented a fine sample of spring wheat, called Isa wheat. The field containing 1for

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acres, from which they harvested forty bushels. Your committee award Mr. McChesney one volume of Trans.

They award the first premium of $8 to B. K. Bryant, of Schaghticoke, for the best crop of rye. He raised on 4

one hundred and fifty bushels.

acres of land,

To Eleazer Lockwood, of the town of Brunswick, the first premium of $6, for the best crop of oats. He raised on two acres, one hundred and forty-four bushels. The oats were fine, plump and heavy.

To Jacob Y. Kipp, of Pittstown, the second premium of $1, for the second best crop of oats. He raised on 5,2% acres, three hundred and ninety-four bushels. This crop of oats shows a larger yield per acre, than the crop on which your committee awarded the first premium. The quality of the grain was not as good, and consequently the weight per bushel less.

To Francis McChesney, of Schaghticoke, the first premium of $6, on the best crop of barley. He raised on 4 acres, one hundred and sixty-five bushels, by measure.

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To B. K. Bryant, of Schaghticoke, the second premium of $1, on the second best crop of barley. He raised on 41 acres of land, one hundred and seventy-two

bushels

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To Jacob Y. Kipp, of Pittstown, the third premium of $2, on the third best crop of barley. He raised on 22 acres, ninety and a half bushels by measure. The barley was light, not weighing more than 43 pounds to the measured bushel.

To Francis McChesney, of Schaghticoke, the first premium of $6, on the best crop of peas. He raised on one acre of land, fortythree and a half bushels.

To David Coonradt, of Brunswick, a premium of $6, on his crop of beans.

To David Coonradt, of Brunswick, a premium of $6, on his crop of buckwheat. He raised on one and a quarter acres of land, bushels.

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Your committee have omitted in this report the copies of the several statements submitted to them by the competitors for premiums. They are hereunto annexed. All of which is respectfully submitted.

Mr. Ford, from the committee on root crops, reported the following:

There was but one competitor on potatoes, who says he raised 317 bushels on one acre and 12 links of land. But the competitor has failed to comply with the 15th regulation.

There was one competitor for carrots, who had not the quantity of land nor the affidavits required by the 15th regulation.

The following persons were then chosen officers for the ensuing year:

President, Richard J. Knowlson; Vice-Presidents, George Vail, Troy, John H. Willard, do, Benjamin Starbuck, do, Wm. Gurley, do, B. B. Kirtland, Greenbush, J. E. Storms, Schodack, Seth Hastings, Nassau, David G. Maxon, Petersburgh, Mr. ———- Hubbard, Stephentown, Winants Younghans, Sandlake, Mathias P. Coons, Lansingburgh, Horace Herrington, Brunswick, J. Wilton Davison, Grafton, George Chase, Hoosick, Jacob Y. Kip, Pittstown, I. T. Grant, Schaghticoke, Jacob Menick, Poestenkill, Egbert B. Hull, Berlin; Wm. Hagen, Secretary; Abram Van Tuyl, Treasurer; Executive Committee, Hugh Rankin, Henry Warren, W. S. Sands, John B. Ford, John W. Mott.

On motion of A. Van Tuyl, it was

Resolved, That owing to the lateness of the hour, the lecture of Judge Ball be postponed, and a committee appointed to solicit the delivery of the same on some future occasion. Committee, Geo. Vail, A. Van Tuyl, J. J. Viele.

The President then delivered his annual address.

On motion of Judge Ball,

Resolved, That the thanks of the society are due to the President for his address and the faithful manner in which he has presided over the society for the past year; also, that a copy of the address be requested for publication in the first number of the "Farmer and Artizan."

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