average crop. The valleys of the Hudson and of Wood creek furnish large quantities for exportation. Growing of wool is decidedly on the decrease. Many large flocks of the finest grades of sheep are completely broken up. Dairying is looked upon by farmers with more favor than formerly; extensive tracts of country are being secured to that interest. Cheese factories are in operation during their season in nearly all our towns. This branch of husbandry is now more remunerative than any other department of agriculture. The condition of the fruit interest will be fully reported to you through the county horticultural society. Rearing and fattening swine is but a small item of business compared with what it formerly was. Fattening beef and mutton is on the increase, and will be still more largely carried on as farmers give up the, at present too extensive, growing of potatoes for the hardy grains. Eggs and poultry form an important item among producing interests, and the business is destined to extend. A very considerable and profitable trade in raising and training of horses has grown up in the county, adding much to its material wealth. Other industrial and agricultural pursuits are prospering within our borders; but these details suffice to show that we, at least, hold the keys to material prosperity. At the annual meeting held at Argyle on the 18th day of January, 1870, the following officers were elected, viz.: President, Col. Berry Long; Treasurer, William M. Holmes; Recording Secretary, R. W. Pratt; Corresponding Secretary, M. Ingalsbe. WAYNE. This society held its annual meeting in the village of Lyons January 5th, and clected the following officers for the ensuing year: Hon. D. W. Parshall, President; Samuel I. Cole, Treasurer; John L. Cole, Secretary. The following report from the treasurer was received and adopted: Amount received exclusive of State appropriation. New York State appropriation Amount received from all sources Amount expended for all purposes. $646 89 307 00 $953 89 $846 15 107 74 $953 89 The society is in the possession of seventeen acres of land located on the bank of the Clyde river, in the village of Lyons. On this is a half mile track well graded for the trial of speed of horses. A large and commodius building had formerly been erected on the society's grounds for its annual exhibitions, but unfortunately it has been consumed by fire. The soil and climate of this county are favorable to the raising of grain, grass, and fruit of many varieties. Wheat, the past season, has been a full average crop, and of excellent quality. The midge that formerly almost destroyed the white wheat, has disappeared, and this variety is now raised quite commonly, with a yield per acre that equals former years. Barley is in quantity one-third more than last year, and overruns in weight. Oats double in quantity. Corn, owing to the long cold wet weather in the fore part of the season, matured only on warm dry land. There is probably one-third less corn than last year: Buckwheat not quite an average. Beans about the same as last year. Peas not much raised of late. Clover seed a great failure. Potatoes excellent. Hay abundant, but the early mown greatly damaged by long wet weather. The farmers of this county have turned their attention for a number of years to growing peppermint. It was estimated that 80,000 pounds of oil was produced in Wayne county in 1868, which was sold in Lyons at $4.50 to $5.00 per pound; the yield that season was from twenty up to forty, and in some few instances fifty pounds to the acre. So great was the mania for growing peppermint, that mechanics left their shops and paid twenty-five dollars per acre for the use of land, and from five to six shillings a rod for the roots to plant it; laboring men received from twelve shillings to two dollars per day to work in the mint. There was probably more than twice the number of acres growing mint last summer than ever before, but the yield was only from ten to thirty pounds per acre. The price paid at the opening of the market was three dollars, but dropped to two dollars, leaving some wiser, if not richer, than they were before they went into raising peppermint. Tobacco is grown in considerable quantities, and commands this season from eighteen to twenty cents in the leaf; the yield per acre is about 1,500 pounds. Onions fall considerably short of their average. The yield is about 500 bushels to the acre; price from eight shillings to nine shillings per bushel. The quality of apples is good, but not a full crop; about 75,000 barrels shipped; price realized, about three dollars per barrel. Pears, quinces, peaches, cherries, plums, and berries of different kinds are. raised, and shipped to the east in large quantities. Isabella and Catawba grapes have not ripened well, and are giving way for earlier varieties. This society held its twenty-fifth annual fair on its grounds, in the township of Greenburgh, on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th days of September, 1869. The exhibition was opened under the most favorable auspices, giving assurance (weather permitting) that it would be satisfactory to the public, and such as would justify the managers in their very liberal list of premiums, and preparatory disbursements. The accommodations had been greatly enlarged since the last fair by the erection of additional stalls, a building for the protection and exhibition of poultry, and a spectator's stand, involving an outlay of about $3,000. In consideration of fault having been found with the absorbing interest manifested in fast horses, to the alleged injury or neglect of other departments of the fairs, the first four and a half days were set apart for a strictly agricultural exhibition, and the remaining day and a half reserved solely for trials of speed. This arrangement with a very liberal list of premiums, it was hoped, would obviate all complaints, prove entirely satisfactory to our farmers and insure a splendid agricultural show. Yet the aggregate entries fell 115 below those of 1868, of which decrease eighty-three were in farm products. The decrease affected nearly all the classes, but in none was it so painfully apparent as in that of poultry. The exhibition in that class in 1868, had been the finest ever seen in the county, and was probably never surpassed at any county agricultural fair in the State. The exhibitors on that occasion were urgent for better accommodations, and a more extensive list of premiums. To meet their wishes, the managers enlarged the list of premiums on fowls, by adding nearly all the varieties for which premiums are offered by the State poultry association; and by erecting a spacious building for their exhibition and protection. Yet the entries were fifteen short of those of the previous year.. There was also an aggregate decrease of thirty-five entries in neat cattle, and thirteen in field crops. This falling off in the staples of an agricultural exhibition, was very mortifying, and does not redound to the credit of our farmers. Yet notwithstanding their want of public spirit, the exhibition, though not as large as in former years, was highly gratifying, and unsurpassed in excellence by any ever held in the county. The show of horses in the agricultural department was a magnificent success. Every class was fully represented by animals which would do credit to any county in the State or any State in the Union. Among the contributions to the draught class, was a splendid team of imported matched Percheron mares, exhibited by William H. Aspinwall, Esq., but entered too late for a premium. They attracted general admiration, and are probably unsurpassed by any team of that breed ever exhibited in the United States. Although the entries of neat cattle were deficient in numbers, they maintained their character for points of excellence, and were, with scarce an exception, judged worthy of premiums. The show of sheep was small, and can never be otherwise until the defenceless animals are better protected from the thousands of worthless dogs running at large in the county. The exhibition of swine did not correspond with an enlarged list comprising nearly all the most popular breeds, and a very liberal increase in the amount of premiums offered. Although several of our old poultry fanciers failed to exhibit anything, the birds on show were of a high order, in fine condition, and possessing largely of the points of excellence as established by Tegetmeier and adopted by the State association. In dairy produce there were no samples of cheese, but there was an increase in entries of butter. The latter article was pronounced delicious by the judges, who found it difficult where all was so excellent to determine which was best. There were only ten entries in field crops, being about the average of the last eight or ten years. This is a very small number for such a county as Westchester. Yet previous exhibitions have shown what the lands of the county under proper cultivation can be made to produce. Within those years premiums have been awarded for 414 bushels of wheat to the acre, weighing sixty-four pounds to the bushel; twenty-eight bushels of rye, standard weight; 109 bushels of corn, weighing 564 pounds to the bushel; 326 bushels of potatoes; 1,000 bushels of rutabaga; at the rate of 1,000 bushels of onions, and at the rate of 600 bushels of carrots to the acre. This year Bartholomew Gedney, Esq., of White Plains, competes for a premium on 524 bushels of shelled corn, fifty-six pounds to the bushel, raised on five and one-fourth acres of land. Garden vegetables exceeded in quantity and quality those of the preceding exhibition. This was no more than could be reasonably expected, as the list is the largest and the premiums the most liberal in the State. The same may be said of fruit. Notwithstanding the absence of several old and extensive contributors, the entries were more numerous than in 1868, and the specimens equal to any ever seen on the tables. Conspicuous among the contributions were those of the veteran vineyardist, Doctor R. T. Underhill, ex-president of the society. His show of grapes and sparkling Catawba and other wines was very fine. The display of flowers was very rich, tastefully arranged, much larger than in 1868, and added greatly to the attractions of the hall. In household manufactures (ladies' department) there was a great deficiency (amounting to twenty-six entries), caused, it is said, by former exhibitions of fancy articles purchased in the stores. Agricultural implements were few and far between. The awards of premiums were announced from the judges' stand at twelve o'clock, noon, on Friday, and the agricultural exhibition closed. Trials of speed were immediately commenced and continued until |