Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1858 — Farmer's Department. [ARTICLE]

Farmer's Department.

CONDUCTED BY AN At) tt I ('■ ULT U K IST. OS!S«> STATE ea'ih, ‘lßroadlirim ' Among 'the Indus and Horses. FANDt-sfcy,.fcjcpt: IS, 1858. Friend Davies: Thy friend has some t oinrunctions of conscience lest., perhaps, he has departed from the strict rules of propriety. He imagines, that if Ann Lee had looked dodn updjn hidn as he was shouting and swinging Jjis hat among -j. 10 horses, 'and worming his "way through SI,OOO shawls and bonnets; —to say nothing of crinoline—sjbe wo.uld somewhat have doubted his sint'4Prity ami soundness ol minis. He does not pretend to say that he actually staked money on the result of the speed, but he does say that he was so- hlr carried away by his feelings as to forget his gravity and dignity, and to throw up his hat, with cheers, like an excited school hoy. He does not pretend to say that he actually took a labial draught from the upturned faces of the fair ones, but he does say that the facial organs were in , such close proximity that lie could have done so “just as easy. 1 ’- Circumstances threw him among these wordJy pleasures, and he will proceed- to give thee his notes without further ado: “The Ninth Annual Fair of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture” was a complete success. The weather was fine and the attendance large. It was the best conducted exhibition that I have attended for a long time. ; Outside ol the stock the show was poor.. The Ladies’ Hall', Or the “Floral Hall” as it was called, was very--tastily decorated, and reflected great credit on the ladies of this | city. It contained nothing, however, apart from the trimmings, worthy of note. The exhibition ol mechanical implements did not embrace a very extensive variety or anything novel or extraordinary. The only thing that struck my eye was a machine for plowing, out and hoeing corn at one and the same time. It would be a line thing for thee on thy prairie farm—-that is, if thou hast one. The display of portraits and paintings in tiie Fine Arts was good. It would he no misuse of language to say that it was beautiful. Admirable arrangements were made for the accommodation oCstack. Comfortable stables occupied the circumference of nearly the entire enclosure; and almost all of the “rural deities” were kept upon the grounds. The animals on exhibition consisted of hogs, sheep, cattle, horses and Ladies, Of these in their order: The number of porkers was moderate—quality good. Suffolk was the predominating breed. An old fellow of some 800 pounds ■ i took the red ribbon. There were a few specimens of French Merinoes, in the sheep department— some of the results, no doubt, of Vermont sharp practice. It : is well known that for late years Vermont has been Tilling up her flocks with Spanish, and showing off on her Western brothers her French and a goodly number of her well-greased native breed. J think Ohio can well afford to be ashamed of this department. But "the pageant of line cuttle was worth going one thousand miles to see. Words will not suffice to describe their beauties. I I heir clean limbs, wide hips, round bodies, delicate nostrils, bright eyes, set well apart, i narrow foreheads, clear silky ears, waxy horns, rich ygllow skins, velvet coats, and

! the lacteal veins standing out like cords on their bo.Aies —all these must be seen to-be appreciated. I much doubt, if any State, New York and Kentucky excepted, can make as good a show ol neat cattle as Ohio. I wished many times that some of thy lovers of short horns were here to take in inspiration from their broad, intelligent faces. It is no wonder that owners of beasts like , those should grow eloquent over th‘*jr “point,” or feel their pride swell within them at the admiration of others. There is some pleasure in being a farmer when one can gather 'around them such noble pets and feel that they are “friends who are never false to him:” Those brutes were blanketed and groomed with more care .{ban the finest blood horse in the country; and if their masters \ sometimes lavish more attention upon them than they do upon their wives, indeed, friend Davies, 1 can hardly make up Kiy face to censure them; T0r,..t0 tell the truth, in point of beau y, the cattle far surpassed the women at the lair. Many deserved premiums were awarded, of course; hut there was one three year old hei.ler. Irom Kentucky, which., so far as 1 can icarr., received.neither a premium nor notice. \ot, she was the finest t ne on the grounds; and it. is, no doubt., owing to some mistake that, her name does not appear in the list of awards. I dare not trust myself to enlarge on her merits, and will only say that her equal is not to he found on this side of the water. IShej had a realizing sense of her loveliness, beyond a ’question:; for she stepped as queenly as a Morgan mare. Yet, site was us modest as a maid, and arrayed as 1 beauti^illy.as the lilies of the field,-and at about the same expense. I would not swap that heifer for halt the women in Christendom. A large number of horses was on the ground, all anxious for the first prize. Some were bud,, some indifibrelft, but the in.were •good. '1 here Was tt fine lot of brood mares and colts-. The first premium for the best :-stallion with five colts was given;to “Flying Cloud;” second to “Eastman Green Mountain.” The latter had the best stock by 1 odds. ■ i JYJn the class of thorough-breds .there were i some fine specimens. An imported stalli n cnlied'“Bonnie Scotland,” owned by Rebelifc Kuty, of Lancaster, took the first prize in two classes. He seemed to be a favorite—more, I expect, because he came from Eng-, land than anything else. “Sweet Owen'.;” ! : owned by John Scott, suited nty fancy the 1 best. lie is the finer horse- of the two; brown, eightyears old, sired by celebrated “Gray Eagle,” dam “Blinky,” (dam of “Fly- 1 ing Dutchman,”) by “Muckle John.” There was another horse in this class which claimed noble blood. He was sired by imported “Glencoe,” and descended on both sides from the father of horses, “Godoephin Ara- 1 bian.” I cannot say'that he did honor to his breeding. The old race mare, ‘‘Fashion, 1 ’ was on the grounds, and created a great, deal of excitement. She did not, however, receive that attention and reverence which her age and merits demanded. In Vermont she would have been carried around the ring on the shoulders of the excited multitude. I must confess that, for a time, I was suspicious of a hoax, and did not examine lie. so closely as I shall again, if the chance offers. She is, beyond a reasonable doubt, the veritable “Fashion,” who, in 1842, ran the great race against the South, beating “Boston” on a four-mile heat in 7:4. She is of patrician blood, and a noble daughter of a noble family. Her pedigree is as follows: Sire, “Imported Trustee,” dam, “Bonnet O'Bltje,” by “Sir Charles;” she is 21 years of age, and owned by Rclier &. Kuty. She had a blooded coll, by her side. Ihe display of matched roadsters was poor as to number, but very good as to quality. A young pair of black geldings of Morgan & Bucchus blood took my eye, and, I think, the first premium. A pqir of fancy matched horses, a sorrel and a gray—bobtails—owned by somebody, were a most genteel' driving team. That span and a good w ife would be property enough for any man. Many other horses were exhibited, but I think thou u ill not thank me for men- , tioning more than one class more. In the sweepstakes for fast stallions, only i •four were brought into the ring; and it is a ! significant fact tlnit. they were all of Morgan I blood j. They werte as/follows: “Godolphin,” j a coal black steed, 8 years old, property of A. L. Beach, Cleveland—the best, horse in the ling; sired by tlm well-known flyer, ‘•Sherman Blackliawk,'’ owned by Bennitt &. YVurren, Bridport, Vt., darn, by original Vermont Blackliawk; grand dam by “Revenge, ’ brother to the sire of the original I) -.okliawk. Time, 3:t> to skeleton. “Eastman Green Mountain,” chestnut, 10 years old. He was a fino moving horse;

sired by “Old Green Mountain Morgan,'’ formerly owned by Silas Hale, Muss., and descended from “Woodbry,” a brother .to ‘lie , onge.” The -dam of Eastman was of Hamiltonian &l Messenger blood; his owner isjliram Sykes,.Medina county. Time, 3:8 to ’sulky. “Flying Ch utl,” black, marked : white, 13 years old, property of James Orr, j Crawford county; sire, original Blackliawk. “Cloud” is half brother to “Etlran Allen.” Time, 3 minutes under saddle. “Star of the West.,” bay, property of M. M. Spangler, Cleveland, 6 years old; sir-oil bv “Ethan A 1len,” owned by O. S. Roe. Champlain, New York, darn, Messenger Mare. Flying Cloud took first premium by f> seconds, Godolphitn second. “Had the latter trotted under the saddle, he would have had the first prize, ijchich was due to him. . The former did not tjrot as well as T expected he would; he is more of a pacer than a trotter. For clean traveling, Eastman beat, them all. ’ He is as honest! as Washington,: and did not ! break once. Star of the West has the graceful movements of his sire. Tt is just to the horses to say, that, the. track, at the i time of trial, was very heavy, ow ing to pre- : vious showers. The cominit'teeiof arrange- ! lhents were a-lso so too’li-li as to lav out a track of less than one-third of-a mile in-cir-cumference, thereby increasing the labor of the horses, and .endangering the lives of the drivers,- N’otwithstanding these difficulties, the trotting'was good, and was witnessed by thousands of men and double that lie. tub or of women. Before 1 ( lose, let me beg- that the fair ones into whose hands this production may tall, will not get “in tiled” because I have classed their sex under the head pf animals, ' or couplet! their names with those of horses, i lie feruier is philosophical, and every one wlroc.saw the female equestrians':w ill hear Witness to the fact, that the handsomest as well| as the most liarnio!>tz:rig objects in aninaatod nature are the Lilies and horses, t Neither must I forget the Toledo Cadets, a company of 80 hoys from 10 to Hi years of age. They belong to the Uniud Schools and, are promoted to the ranks on account of scholarship and good behavior. Their splendid outfits are furnished by the wealthy citizens of Toledo. The Tittle fellows all felt Like majors, ar.d made tt fine appearance when review ed by Governor Chase. Some people affected to observe a redictilous contrast between the two. Allow nut to stio’gest that the spectacle of the tall Governor . marshaling a body of urchins whose weapsi, notwithstanding their'insignia, is the pepT; ' and who are one day to battle for the interests and welfare.of the nation,.is ti far liner sight than the same officer exerting his dignity ! on a company of tuil-grow n soldies, whose only, earthly use is to cat up the surplus earnings of the country. Yours, die., Broadbrim.