But the labor and cost of underdraining have deterred many from availing themselves of these advantages. To apply the system thoroughly to an acre of land, by cutting ditches at regular intervals of two and a half rods, requires sixty-four rods of drain. At twenty cents per rod for cutting two and a half feet deep, twelve cents a rod for tile, and five cents and a half more for laying the tile and plowing in the earth, the cost is twenty-four dollars per acre. This expense will doubtless be lessened in a few years by a reduction in the price of tile in consequence of the larger demand, but still more so, we think, by the use of PRATT'S DITCH DIGGER, invented by R. C. PRATT, and manufactured by PRATT & BROTHERS, of Canandaigua, N. Y. This machine is a new invention, and is not perhaps fully perfected in all its parts, yet it has already given experimental promise of great value. In a recent trial on the farm of the late JOHN S. BATES, of Canandaigua, before a committe of the Ontario County Agricultural Society, and several distinguished agricultural gentlemen, among whom were JOHN JOHNSTON and R. J. SWAN, of Geneva, widely known for their success in extensive underdraining, its performance was eminently satisfactory. When we reached the ground, at half past eleven in the morning, a ditch 44 rods in

length had just been commenced, and after suspending

operations an hour or two for dinner, we found the depth at half past three to be 21 to 23 inches, admitting of its easy completion before night. The two horses which drew the machine, worked very moderately; the soil was a hard and stiff brick clay. A portion was stony, and on this part a man was employed with a crow-bar to loosen and throw out the stones as they were successively laid bare.

We have also tried this machine on our own land, where the ground was quite stony, and have found it to succeed well, although the speed of its work was

greatly impeded by the stones. In such ground two or three hands are needed to loosen stones, and to throw out those which are loosened by the plow share.

The principle on which the machine operates is a simple one. A small plow share runs along the bottom of the ditch and loosens up from one to three inches of the earth; the revolving shovels earry up the loosened earth, until it reaches the top of their revolu

tion, when it falls by its weight on an inclined plat

form on each side, down which it rolls, and drops on each side of the ditch. Motion is given to the wheel of revolving shovels, simply by its running over the

earth, and its motion is precisely similar to that of a carriage wheel over the surface of a road. When the soil is wet and adhesive, a small wheel is placed at the top of the machine which clears the shovels of the earth. It will cut from eight inches to one foot wide, and fully two and a half feet deep and may be made to cut three feet deep if desired. It is mostly of iron, and is strong, and not liable to become injured by use. The price, we believe, is $150.

From all the experiments we have witnessed, we have made the following estimate of its power of performing work:-In soil of medium hardness, and which is nearly or entirely free from stone, a good team without undue exertion, driven by one man, will cut from seventy-five to one hundred rods of diteh, two feet and a half deep, in a day. Where the ground is stony, the length will be reduced to fifty or even to thirty rods per day; and a very hard and dry soil will also lessen the speed of its work. In mucky or peaty land, free from large roots, and at a season of the year when dry enough to bear horses, one hundred and fifty rods a day would be of easy accomplishment. In an actual experiment in such soil, the ditch was eut

by passing only seven times, after the first furrow was

made with the common plow, or about four or five inches at each passage of the machine.

On the whole, we regard PRATT'S DITCHER as now made, as standing high in the list of modern agricultural inventions; and at a time when labor is becom

ing scarce and high priced, likely to prove of immense advantage to improved farming.

RANCID BUTTER it is said may be rendered sweet and good by churning it in new milk. Try it, and give us the resuit.

of ascertaining that they were the genuine products of his trees, and not Barnumized artificialities, like the sections of the Big Tree at the Crystal Palace. Indeed, his trees themselves were among the most thrifty we have seen. Our friend J. F. TALLANT, Esq, of Burlington, was on hand with samples from his garden, where we also had the pleasure of inspecting the fine young trees from which they were gathered, now we think in their fourth year, and heavy with a full crop. Among Mr. COOLBAUGH's finest specimens, were some of the Vicar of Winkfield, Beurre Diel and Louise Bonne de Jersey varieties.

Among other Burlington exhibitors were Neally & Bros, David Leonard, with Fall Wine and other fine apples-the variety named seemed by the way to be quite a general favorite; Ogden & Copp with Apples and Peaches; E. May, (by whom the room was neatly decorated) with a Blood Cling Stone weighing 12 ounces, Apples, Pears and specimens of the Osage Orange fruit; Avery, Comstock & Co., with a large assortment; and Messrs. Woods, Jessy. Samuel & Co., W. Hunt, and Jas Clark-the last with a beautiful Peach, marked as a seedling.

Prominent among the large collection of Apples, was that of the President, ARTHUR BRYANT, Esq., of Princeton, Ill. Finley & Dwire, of Davenport, Iowa, were among other considerable exhibitors. Smiley Shepherd, of Hennepin, Ill, and Lee Hull, of Fort Madison, Iowa, were nearly, if not quite, the only contributors of grapes. Their Isabellas and Catawbas were very fair. Other notice-worthy samples of the different fruits were shown by C. R. & N. Overman, of Canton; E. Harkness & Sons, Trivoli; E. B. Coleman, Peoria; Lewis Ellsworth & Co., Naperville; T. McWhorter, Pomeroy, all of Illinois; Wm. Stewart & Sons, Quincy and Payson, Ill., and Hannibal, Mo., R. & G. B. Brackett, Denmark, Iowa; John R. Tull, Pontoosuc, Ill.; Isaac Negus, Muscatine, and Fahnestock & How, Dubuque, Iowa; John Bellinger, Dover, Rogers & Woodard, Marengo, D. F. Kinney & Co., Rock Island, A. R. Whitney, Franklin Grove, E. S. L. Richardson, Kendall, and the Icarian Community at Nauvoo, Illinois; and W. J. Wright, of Fairfield, and P. D. Humphrey, of Tipton, Iowa.

The eastern exhibitors, whose collections we noticed, were Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, T. C. Maxwell & Bro., of Geneva, Thorp, Smith, Hanchett & Co., of Syracuse, Manly & Mason, of Buffalo, and Lewis Burtis, of Rochester.

In the hasty examination of the tables which we allowed ourselves, it is by no means impossible that the names of owners of some of the finest specimens shown, may have escaped us; we have endeavored to be as accurate in our notes as we could. We have devoted so much space to this part, that we should have little room for the discussions, even had we been present at them all.

In the afternoon we were indebted to Mr. Tallant for a drive about the suburbs of Burlington, a better country for fruit growing than which, it would probably be difficult to find. We visited, beside the places above mentioned, that of his Excellency, Gov. GRIMES, which is so situated as to command a splendid view of the river and the adjacent country, and the prosperous nursery of the Messrs. Neally, whose fine young stock, showed remarkable thrift and growth. We also looked in upon the vineyard of a German, who has, since 1851, given considerable attention to wine-making. From half an acre of vine-cuttings set out in that year, we understood that he made in 1854 about 150 gallons, and that he had this season put out about two acres in addition-the ground being all prepared by spade trenching. He grows only Catawbas, and some that we tasted were very good, although the season appears to have been only tolerably favorable.

The Address of Mr. BARRY was delivered Wednesday evening in one of the city churches, and although he apologized in some neat introductory remarks, for presenting to the mixed audience of ladies and gentle

men present, what had been prepared only for the fruit growers themselves in their own business assembled, he held closely the attention of his audience, and at the same time dropped some valuable hints for nurserymen, drawn from his own experience and knowledge. The Proceedings of the Meeting were all put on record, and will shortly appear in print. We will meantime anticipate by a brief summary, abridged chiefly from the reports furnished by the correspondent of the Chicago Democratic Press.

The Association was called to order Tuesday evening, by the President-reports of officers submitted, and various unimportant business transacted. Committees on synonyms of Apples; of Pears and other fruits; on Business; on Seedlings, and on Publication, were appointed. In the afternoon, discussion on Plums was the order. Messrs. Fahnestock and Barry were interrogated as to Mr. Mathew's Remedy for the Curculio, but the impression appeared to prevail, that the old means of jarring was the way, after all Messrs. Brackett, Leonard, Dunlop, Albright, and the Presi dent, Mr. Bryant, were among others who took part in the debate. The subject of a regulated tariff of prices for fruit trees was brought up, but very properly, as we hink, dropped. In the evening, Dr. Hull, of Alton, gave an interesting account of his plum culture, and his manner of treating the curculio. His experience is very strongly in favor of jarring.

The first subject in order Wednesday morning, was the consideration of the leaf blight on pears. Messrs. Barry, Fahnestock, H. Avery, Shepherd, Harkness, the President, and others participated. Dr. Hull then gave an interesting account of his mode of growing peaches, which is said to have been very successful and profitable in its results.

Of Thursday's proceedings we have no report, save that the citizens gave the Association a dinner at the Barret House in the evening, which drew forth several spirited and interesting speeches.

On the whole the prosperity and usefulness of the Association have, we trust, been not a little benefitted by its late meeting, and we are sure the Eastern men present will carry back such reports, that should it give timely notice of the next, both they and their friends, will take care and "be there to see." L. H. T.

Autumn Transplanting.

This subject has often been written upon, but from the continued inquiries made us, we are induced to give briefly the chief reasons for and against the practice.

There are certain conditions under which fall trans

planting is always advantageous, and generally best. These conditions are hardy trees, and a dry soil.

1. They should be hardy, for a tender tree is always made more susceptible to the cold of winter, by remo val in autumn.

2. The soil should be dry, or admit such wate as falls upon it to pass off freely. It is very severe reatment to allow water to collect about a tree, ard then to freeze hard among the newly set roots.

Apple trees are very hardy, and generaly succeed best if set out in autumn, as the soil become well settled about them, and they have nothing todo early in spring but to commence growing. In this way they get an earlier start. If the roots of a fill-transplanted apple tree are examined in spring bout the usual time for digging trees, a new set of rootlets will be found pushing out from the old ones, at least a week or two in advance of any that may be omitted by sprin set trees. If, however, they are dig in the fall pid well laid in, the same rootlets will be formed ear) in

spring, and such trees, if set out carefully so as not to injure these, will possess a decided advantage over such as are dug in spring.

Cherry and pear trees are nearly as hardy as the apple, and may be advantageously removed in autumn, if the precautions we have pointed out, are observed. Peach trees are half-hardy, and their success can be relied on, only under favorable influences. For instance, the wood should be well ripened, otherwise the shoots, or at least their tips, will be winter-killed. The ground must not only admit the water to flow off freely, but must not retain it in the subsoil. Hence, if peach trees are set in the autumn in tenacious soils, there should be a sufficient drainage from each hole, to let out all the water to the bottom. This drainage may be affected by plowing a deep trench or furrow, before digging the row of holes, and afterwards filling the bottom of the furrow with brush and then straw, before returning the soil to it. The safety of the trees will be still further secured by very shallow holes, or by setting the trees on the surface of the ground, and making a broad flat mound upon the roots, as represented in the annexed figure. This practice has another advantage, namely, a deeper bed of the enriched surface soil for the roots to penetrate. With these precautions, we have found no diffi culty in transplanting

a

peach trees in autumn.

It is absolutely necessary in all cases, and with all sorts of trees, hardy and otherwise, to secure them from being blown about by the wind. Small trees, with long, carefully taken-up roots, will not be easily moved, and all that is necessary with these in any case, will be to bank up a small steep mound around the stem a foot high-which also will protect them perfectly from the mice, and also assist in keeping the frost out of the roots, by the depth of the soil above thernthese mounds to be removed the following spring. But larger trees, and especially those with the roots cut short, will require staking. The stake may be driven with less danger of hitting and injuring the roots, if the operation is performed before the hole is filled.

When a the preceding precautions cannot be properly taker, it is best to procure the trees in autumn, and "lay them in by the roots," or dig a trench or hole, place the roots in, and bury that and half the stems for the winter. But especial care is needed to fill in all the interstices with finely pulverized earth; o place them on a dry bottom, or else on the surface o the ground, and bank up to them; and where injury from mice is apprehended, to set them nearly upright, and throw up the earth in the form of a mound around them. No mouse will ever ascend a mound of fresh earth under the snow; and if there are no interstices among the trees, they will never touch them.

It must not be forgotten, however, that important as is the proper transplanting of trees, their subsequent access, fine growth and productivenes, depend more good, clean, and careful after culture, than on eveying else together-and that the planter might as welxpect to raise 40 bushels of corn in an unplowed me, as to look for fruit or young trees growing

amongrass and weeds.

Rensselaer County Ag. Fair.

The Fair of the Rensselaer Agricultural Society came off last week at Lansingburgh, where the Society has permanent grounds, fixtures, &c., and as usual was one of much interest. Come and let us take a walk together through the grounds. In the shed to the left are the vegetables; and a finer collection is seldom seen. What fine, large potatoes are these? They are "Mountain Junes," grown by M. File, Brunswick. J. G. Walter, Van Schaick Island, makes a great show. One of these Philadelphia Drumhead Savoy Cabbages would furnish a meal for an ox, or half a dozen Dutchmen. These cauliflowers, too, are fine and unusually large, and prove that this delicious vegetable can be raised here in perfection, if proper care is used. We can beat the world on onions any day, as these specimens of Mr. Walter's testify; and it would be hard to beat these black peppers, to say nothing of the other vegetables, grown by J. B. Ford of Troy. Here we are at Floral Hall, and there is that enthusiastic florist, Mrs. James Van Namee, arranging a pyramidal bouquet of verbenas. It contains 80 varieties, many of them seedlings of her own raising. She has a fine display of flowers, as has also, on the opposite side, Dr. Newcomb of Pittstown. Here Mrs. L. E. Smith of Mechanicsville, has a "floral ornament" in the shape of a stand made of flowers. The top is a bed of fine Asters arranged in rows as thick as they can be set. These Dahlias of E. Van Alstyne are truly magnificent. It would be difficult to find a larger and better assortment. But the room is crowded; let us walk into the fruit department. This plate of magnificent Detroit red apples, and these fine Fall Pippins and Alexandepinom.sr prove attractive in Covent Garden Here is a fine collection of pears. These Bartletts and Van Mons' Leon le Clerc are very good. There is a railing in front of the tables, which keeps the spectators three feet from the fruit so that we cannot ascertain the name of the exhibitor. Here comes one of the exhibitors. "Will you allow us, sir, to come within the railing for a few minutes to examine the fruits?" "Can't do it." All right; the rules must be obeyed; but the next time we go to the Rensselaer Co. Fair, we will take a telescope for the examination of the fine fruit placed on tables from three to seven feet from the railing. Even viewed from this distance, however, the show of apples, pears and plums is rarely excelled. We guess that Mr. Geo. Vail of Troy and the "Ida Nurseare the largest exhibitors.

ries

The Stock department is not very well filled. These brood mares, however, are well formed, heavy bodied, good sized, active animals, that would stand a fair chance of taking premiums at any of our State Fairs. There is a considerable number of well matched steers, the Durham grades predominating. Here is a pretty pair of Devons, yoked together, and blanketed, to keep the dear creatures from suffering from the cold and heat, of this delightful September day-and the public from seeing their good points. Here is a brace of milch cows, belonging to P. P. Dater, Brunswick, that it would be hard to beat. They are well selected native and Durham. Here are some fine Durham heifers owned by G. W. Ostrander, Hoosick, and these Devons of Geo. Vail are pretty near the perfection of the article.

There are but few swine shown. This Suffolk sow, belonging to E. M. Van Alstyne, Troy, and one or two other pens of the same breed comprise most of the good ones. Sheep, too, are poorly represented. R. C. Derrick, Brunswick, had a few fair South Downs, and here is a good Cotswold ram.

Let us take a glance at the poultry and we have done. Here is a pair of fine Bremen geese belonging to J. P. Levans, Lansingburg. These coops are all full of pretty pigeons, and those of the Shanghai fowls. Here is a large piece of paper on a ooop of Black Spanish hens; what does it say?

"22 of these hens have luid 1800 eggs since March

1, to Sep. 18, 1855 Twenty of this stock can be fed upon the same amount of feed per day that will keep six Shanghais. Besides this they are a hardy, healthy fowl for the farmer, mechanic or merchant."

New-York State Fair at Elmira.

ELMIRA, N. Y., Thursday, Oct. 4, 1855. Tuesday and Wednesday were gloomy days for the friends of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society. The rain fell almost incessantly, and the attendance was consequently very poor. To-day. however, has been fair, and there is now on the grounds a vast concourse of people, so much so that is difficult to see. and impossible to examine, any of the more attractive objects of the exhibition. I have, therefore, retired from the crowd to a pleasant room provided for the "Press," and will endeavor briefly to allude to some of the things already visited.

Here to the

Let us take them as they come. right of the entrance gate, are the sheep and pig pens. Sheep are seen to poor advantage in a rain storm, but these 55 head of Silesian merinos shown by Messrs. Campbell, Chamberlain & Ladd, are covered with such close and gummy fleeces that they are little affected, and are certainly the most beautiful sheep I have ever seen. There are also 75 head of French Merinos and a few Saxons that are very superior. These long wools, dripping wet, cut a sorry figure. Here is a pen of Leicester ewes recently imported by Messrs. Hungerford & Brodie of Adams, Jeff Co. N. Y., that cannot be beat. These two bucks are also excellent, of fine form, and very large-if anything a little too large for Leicester, though they are not coarse. Messrs. H. & B show 34 head of Leicesters, all good. Wm. Webster of Sennett, Cayuga Co., shows 34 head, and Jacob Albright of Tompkins Co., 7 head of good Leicesters. There are 109 head of Long wools shown in all, and they are a commendable improvement over former shows. The show of South Downs is no large, and does not compare favorably in quality with many previous exhibitions. H. N. Washbon, of Morris, Otsego Co., showed 21 head. The lambs were very good. Geo. Hartshorn showed two good bucks. Col. Sherwood of Auburn, also exhibited some superior South Downs. These lambs are a cross between a Leicester ram and common merino ewes, and afford good evidence of the advantage of such a course of raising lambs for the butcher. One of them, five months old, weighs 110 lbs. On the whole the show of sheep is the largest and best ever made in the state.

The show of swine is good. Here is a pair of Neapolitans shown by Charles Morrell of Tompkins Co. which attract much attention. They are probably too delicate for this climate, but like the Chinese, of much use in improving the common breeds. C S. Wainright of Rhinebeck, Duchess Co., A. B. Conger, of Haverstraw, Rockland Co., and others show some beautiful Essex hogs. Col. Sherwood, G. Malone of Macedon, and E. C. Bliss of Westfield, show some excellent Suffolks. Col. J. Paxton of Cattawissa, Penn, exhibits four improved Chester County grass breed " pigs that are perfect beauties, somewhat resembling the improved Middlesex, and like them possessing the quality of fattening at any age. Hungerford & Brodie show a magnificent Yorkshire boar. S. P. Chapman and others show good Berkshires.

Here we come upon the committee examining in a ring the two year old Devon bulls. There is a fine lot of them This one belonging to Sylvanus Burtiss, of Phelps, Ontario Co.,is a beautiful fellow, finely bred, and

of good size. That one standing by his side belonging to E C. Bliss, Westfield, is a splendid two year old, larg. er than the other, but perhaps not so finely and evenly bred. I am glad I have not to decide which is the best. The show of Devons is the best yet made in the state, though there are some good herds not represented. L. H. Colby of Tompkins County, shows a good lot. E G. Faile West Farms, Westchester Co, shows some superior Devons of his own breeding, and three imported ones. C. S. Wainwright, of Rhinebeck, exhibits six head that it will be difficult to beat. A. Andrews of Waterbury, Ct. exhibited a good buil and other Devons

B.

The show of Short Horns is very fine, fully equal, I think, to that of any former Fair. S. P. Chapman of Clarksville, Madison Co, exhibited 11 head, two of which were imported. Hungerford & Brodie's recently imported bull St. Nicholas, is a splendid animal, and Lady Newham, an imported two year old, is not often exceiled. J. G. Williams of Tompkins Co., exhibits 7 head. J. W. Taylor of East Bloomfield, showed two beautiful cows recently purchased by him in Kentucky. W. T. & N. Chappell of Avon, show a superior six months old bull, purchased from the Livingston Stock Importing Company. James S. Wadsworth of Geneseo, and others, also exhibit some good animals imported by this Company. Adam Ferguson of Woodhull, C. W., shows his 3 year bull Vietor. I saw this bull at the Provincial Fair of Upper Canada, last year, where he took the first prize as a two year old. He is now in high condition, remarkably good in the hind quarters, and altogether a superior animal, although perhaps a little coarse in the crops. Col. Sherwood of Auburn, and other well known breeders, exhibit good Short Horns. L G. Morris shows nothing.

Hungerford & Brodie are the largest exhibitors. They In Ayrshires, the show, although not large, is good. show five head of very useful animals. A. B. Conger of Rockland Co., exhibits a good bull and cow.

Among the Herefords we once more find the fine herd of Mr. Sotham well represented. M. C. Remington also shows a very superior three year old Hereford bull.

The show of milch cows is quite inferior. There are a few good Durham and Devon grades, and some tolerably or intolerably fat cattle, but nothing particlarly worthy of notice. A "full blood" 4 year old Holland cow, shown by E. P. Brooks of Chemung, attracts some attention. It is said that she " gave an average of 21 quarts of milk daily during the month of June last, now 15 to 18 quarts daily." There is a poor show of working oxen. Horses ditto. Poultry generally, and Shanghais particularly, are nowhere.

There is a good collection of Agricultural Implements, machines, &c,, and the best exhibition of Manufactured articles ever made in the state. Time, however, will not permit me to refer to them at this time.

In grains and vegetables, the show is very poor. Our Albany and Rensselaer County Fairs were much superior to it in this respect. There are a few magnificent heads of cauliflowers shown, and I was amused a few minutes since while examining them, at being asked what they were, by some of the Lords of the soil, and whether they were eaten raw or cooked! Is it possible that any farmer can be so ignorant ? Hamilton Morrison shows 30 varieties of potatoes in a neat case. C. F. Crossman of Rochester, is one of th largest exhibitors in the department.

The show of fruits is truly magnificent. Hovey & Co., of Boston, show 210 varieties of pears, generally of good size but somewhat spotted as compared with those grown in Western New York. Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, show 207 varieties of pears, and 130 varieties of apples. Frost & Co., of Rochester, show 74 varieties of pears and 64 of apples. Thorp, Smith Hanchett & Co. of Syracuse, T. C. Maxwell & Bro of Geneva, Col. Frost of Chemung, C. N. Merrime Elmira, and other nurserymen exhibited large), E. S. Dorr of Albany shows 33 varieties of plums