exhibition of our society closed. In every respect it was a gratifying success to its friends, its members and its officers, and we cannot but think that it will be fruitful in good results.

I have found it impossible to collect such data as would enable me to present to you a full statement of the amounts of the various crops and produce grown in the county during the year now closing. The season was so backward in the spring, particularly upon our hills, that our farmers found it very difficult to put in their spring grains in time, and that embarassment, together with the continued wet and cold weather, retarded the growth of all crops, so that the yield was not up to the average of years. Our corn crop, except in our river valleys, was almost a failure. The growth of clover and timothy was large. Barley above the average, with a great breadth of land sown; average yield about thirty bushels per acre. Winter wheat a moderate yield; average in the valleys from fourteen to sixteen bushels per acre. Of spring wheat, which is mostly grown upon our uplands, the yield was poor. Oats as a general thing, a fine crop, with an average of thirty-five bushels to the acre. Buckwheat a medium crop. Potatoes very light and damaged by early frosts and rot.

The following are the officers elected at the annual meeting for the ensuing year:

President, Charles H. Robie, Savona; Secretary, Reuben E. Robie, Bath; Treasurer, George W. Hallock, Bath.

The following is a list of the receipts and expenditures of the society for the year ending December 31, 1869.

SUFFOLK.

The annual fair of the Suffolk County Agricultural Society for 1869, took place at the fair grounds at Riverhead, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, October 6th, 7th and 8th. The exhibition hall was completed in season. The weather was unusally fine.

There was a meeting of the society on Wednesday evening, at the court-house, when a very pleasing and able paper was read by Mr. Robert W. Pearsall, of Brentwood, which was followed by another of much interest and instruction, upon "Fertilizers and their Application," by the Hon. Henry P. Hedges, of Bridgehampton. Mr. William Nicoll, then in a few appropriate remarks addressed the society, calling attention to the exhibition hall, now opened for the first time, spoke of its commodiousness and symmetry; and, with a view of liquidating the debt incurred by its erection, he moved that » committee be appointed for soliciting persons to become life members of the society, upon the payment of ten dollars each. The motion having been passed and the committee appointed, Mr. Nicoll manifested his earnestness in the movement thus inaugurated, by presenting the society with seventy dollars, for the purpose of making his wife and children life members. Others immediately followed the examples, so that at the adjournment of the meeting about $400 had been contributed.

The annual business meeting of the society, was held at the courthouse on Thursday evening, October 7th, B. D. Carpenter in the

chair.

The election of officers was then held resulting as follows:

President, B. D. Carpenter, Cutchogue; Vice-President, Henry G. Scudder, Huntington; Secretary, Thomas S. Mount, Stony Brook; Treasurer, Joshua L. Wells, Riverhead.

The society was then highly entertained by a well prepared and able address, by the Hon. Wm. Nicoll, of Islip, in which the agricultural interests of the county were practically and systematically considered. It was then

Resolved, that a vote of thanks be tendered to Mr. Nicoll, for his excellent address, and that a copy be requested for publication,

The building erected upon the fair grounds, is in the shape of a Greek cross, 100 feet long and forty feet wide at each arm of the cross. It is two stories in height, with a gallery encircling the building, communicating with the main floor by eight spiral stairways.

It

has four entrances, two piazzas, and two balconies, and stained windows. The cost of erection was $5,000.

The wheat crop has been very good; better than usual, though not the very best. Corn about three-fourths the usual yield; some fields the same as usual; many very good, and some almost a failure. This has been due to local causes. Buckwheat was badly injured by the drought; yield from eight to ten bushels to the acre. Potatoes: Yield large, and very fine in size, but troubled with rot. Turnips nearly cut off except when planted early, and then the yield has been good. The oat crop has been unusually good. Rye and barley I don't know much about. The present growing winter

wheat is looking well

THOS. S. MOUNT,

Secretary.

TIOGA.

The present officers of our county society found the books in arrears, the treasury empty, and the society in a bad way generally, which had arisen from some indifference on the part of our farmers in the county, as we have abundant material in our county for one of the best agricultural societies in the State, and as the society has been in existence for fourteen years, and always maintained a fair and cattle show each year (as the improvement in our stock will show). The present low state of our society is such, that it is hard to get up to a good working point again.

The society did not hold an annual fair and cattle show last year, consequently, nothing was done to replenish our exhausted treasury, and we are now laboring under an indebtedness that cannot be 'overcome without volunteer aid, which might be had by the asking.

In assuming the position of treasurer again, after four or five years in the hands of another, I find my time so much taken up to the present time, that I have been unable to devote the necessary time to maintain a good and flourishing society.

We did not ask for the amount due us from the State Treasurer last year, on account of our not holding a fair and cattle show.

If I can find time to take hold of the offices of our society during the coming summer months, I have no doubt, I can report to you a very favorable result in the fall.

Present officers are: President, George Smith, Owego; Secretary, Wm. Smyth, Owego; Treasurer, T. I. Chatfield, Owego.

T. I. CHATFIELD,

Treasurer.

TOMPKINS.

The Tompkins County Agricultural and Horticultural Society held their thirtieth annual fair on the society's grounds at Ithaca, on the 14th and 15th of October. For many reasons this was very late in the season to hold a fair, but it was unavoidable, as the first time appointed conflicted with the State fair, and had to be postponed and could not be held before without interfering with other fairs in adjacent towns and counties.

The fair was not a decided success pecuniarily, but the exhibition was one that the society may well feel proud of. It was remarked by very many, that the show of stock was the best in most respects that had ever been held in the county.

There was over eighty head of cattle entered for premium's besides the celebrated herd of Short-horns exhibited by Hon. E. Cornell, but not entered for premiums.

The show of sheep was also fine, the long and middle wools taking the lead, as we noticed a great falling off in the fine wools shown in comparison to former years. The show of swine was good, but not as large as on former occasions.

The show of horses was unusually fine, sixty-one horses and colts being entered for premiums, most of them very fine animals.

The department of agricultural implements was very well represented, being by far the largest and finest ever shown in this section.

The show in the hall was large and in many departments very fine, especially of fruits and vegetables.

Taken on the whole the fair was one of the best ever held in the county, but the attendance was small on account of the lateness of the season, and also the unfavorable weather. The secretary is of the opinion that it would be a benefit to the managers of county societys if the State society would set the time for holding their fairs at their annual meeting, thereby enabling county societies to appoint theirs sooner.

[AG.]

86

EDGAR BREWER,

Secretary pro tem.

ULSTER.

There has been received during the year from members, including sales of tickets at the gates for admission to the annual fair, the sum of

For stock sold ...

From the State..

$1,020 18 30.00 333 94

$1,384 12

The annual fair was held on the 22d, 23d and 24th days of September, 1869. The society was addressed by the Governor of the State, Hon. John T. Hoffinan. We attach a printed copy to this report, and commend it as one of the most valuable and instructive addresses that has come under our attention. It met the hearty and we believe universal approbation of the large audience to which it was delivered.

This has been what may fairly be called a productive year. Wheat, oats, potatoes and corn crops have been productive about in the order named, on the whole somewhat above an average. Rye failed last year and more this year, demonstrating to our judgment the fact, that it has become from some cause a worn out crop, and should not be sown in large quantities in this section for a time. The heads the last year were frequently filled with but three or four grains, and few are fully filled. Like the wheat crop some ten years ago, an insect or a blight affects the crop brought forward even under the best auspices. Wheat, on the other hand, is now doing well here, and on good soil has yielded so well, that we have given it the first place in yield for the year.

In fruits, pears have yielded an unusually large crop of very fine varieties. Apples are considerably short of the average. Strawberries and grapes have done well, of the small fruits, while raspberries and blackberries have done badly. Whortleberries, of which the