Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-10-01
1be 8 far'',.
CATTLE SHOW AND FAIR
OF TIE
C~hittcnden County Agricultural Society.

OF THE
Chittcnden County Agricultural Society.
The 29l and 23d of September were days long tc
be remembered by the farmers and friends of Agricul.
ture and Domestic Industry of the County Of Chitten'
den and their numerous visitors from adjoining Coun'
ties and sister State. The skies could not have beer
more suspicious, the roads were in fine order, and
nothing to induce any any TO stay away" At an
early hour on the 22d, every road leading to Burling-
ton was filled with all sorts of four-footcd animals
the products of farms, shops, and dwellings, Ladies
and Gentlemen, mot patent ones, manufactured by
French dancing mastersl Lads and Lasses, all going
to the " CATTLE SHOW" The best feeling pre-
vailed, and nothing %transpircd during the two days to
interrupt it, unless it might have been some spirit OF
rivalry known only to the parties concerned.
The Society were greatly indebted to their COM
mittee OF Arrangements for the fine order and arrange
ment which allowed all to be seen to the best advan-
tage. Vermont stands high us an agricultural State,
and all strangers present acknowledged she well de-
served her reputation. One English gentleman re-
marked, after visiting the slow-groundsa and taking n
survey of the Town Hall, that the show of the ruddy,
happy faces of our Green Mountain Girls alone was
worth more than guinea. The show of animals. farm
implements, &c. was on the beautiful and extensive
grounds situated OH the shore of the Lake, known as
the " Camp Ground" which a few years since was
purchased by the town of Burlington for public pur-
poses. The exhibition of Fruit, Domestic Manutac.
lures, Butter, Cheese, &c. &c. was in the large Town
Hall.
The show of Cattle was very extensive. As the
books of entry have not all been returned to the Sec
rotary, he is not able to state the precise number but
they were entered by numbers, and some of them
numbered nearly 400. The row of Horses was near
half a mile in length, while one side of the grounds
was occupied by pens for sheep, &c, and the centre
for farm implements, &c. &c.
On Horses the Society offered no premiums except
for studs, mares, and colts three years old and under.
OF these classes the show cxcelleJ any previous one.
and bore ample testimony to the new spirit of enter
prise which pcrvades this department OF agricultural
improvement.
OfCatilc-particularly native-wc have never seen
the show equulled. Some of them, for good size, fair
proportions, and perfec, symmetry of form, cannot be
excelled hv any foreign impor,ations.
A very respectable number of thorough bred cattle
were on the ground, and their appearance indicated
either great attention OH the part of their owners, or
the superiority Of the pastures OF Vermont. We saw
no better Durlains, Devons, Hcrefords or Arshircs at
Saratoga, as TO size or form, while the cattle bred in
INV wv u utNNiNu SuttliOiItN III l!ltli iilt
glossy coats and compact forms.
The exhibition of Working Oxen and Steers was
good,-and specimens of their training were witnessed
that alone Were worth the trouble of a ~two-day's Jour
ney. Besides the usual economical movements of
turning, backing, the quick step, DC. they were made
to perform, by mere motions and n low tone of voice,
some OF the fancy evolutions OF the military parade
ground, to the great astonishment of those who regard
the OK as a dnll, stupid beast, naturally fit only for the
d~rudgery of excessive loads, with blows and yells,
enough to break down the spirit, and destroy the ac-
tivity OF any animal, and which doubtless make the
poor OK the slow NOPE he too often is.
The number of Sheep was not great when COM
pared with Cattle, but in quality they eXcelled any
before exhibited. Pure blood Mlerinos and Saxons
were exhibited fully equalling any which can be
shown in any adjoining Counties or States.
OF Flowers little can be said. While a few Ladies
fitted up some fine floral ornaments, bouquets, &c.
those possessing green houses and flower gardens, in
the County, seemed to have forgotten " the Fair
Of Fruits the show was magnificent. Many were
present who had lately seen the splendid collection of
fruits at Saratoga, and we heard but one opinion en-
pressed OF the comparative merits OF the two exhibit
tons, which was that the show Of Apples, Pears,
Plums, and even Grapes and Peaches at Burlington
'N'''l'u 'ihi AZ 7didtppd,-SIION nv tolCllslNtiN tnul
at least in all the mole valuable fruits the Valley of
Lake Champaign can compete successfully with any
part of the world.
vi Garden Vegetables the show was extensive, and
as to quality it is only necessary TO say, that at a sale
held at the close of the Fair, squashes sold at 81 90,
and water-mclons at $500 each.
In Farm Implements and Mechanical Manufactures
the quantity and variety was very small compared
,,;,b ,l.r I,,. I, ,La ,,I;,. r .t go
were exhibited was highly creditable 10 their makers.
The show OF Butter und Cheese was extensive, ard
the reputation OF Vermont fully sustained in qualities.
The exhibition of Household Manufactures greatly
excelled all previous ones. More than 800 different
articles were exhibited, and the walls of the large
Town Hall, and a wide table 40 feet in length, were
literally covered with Carpets, Rugs, Blankets, Quilts
Plaids, Shawls, Woollcn and Linen Cloths, in every
shape and almost every article of use, besides a large
amount of Fancy Work. To show that the Ladies
have not entirely degenerated from the character p
our Grandmothers in Vermont, We have only to 81,
that one lady exhibited fourteen substantial specimen.
OF Household Manufacture, consisting of woollcn ant
linen cloths, plaids, quilts, &c. &c, with two lots o
premium butter, besides a fair healthy baby 6 or
months old, all Of domestic manufacture, for which
she was awarded eight different premiums amountin.
To Sli, and four diplomas. When this can be heater
Chittendcn County will try again.
There was so great a competition and rivalr,
among the Ladies in the County, particularly from
Westiord and Jericho, that the committees had grea
difficulty i'll saying which was No. | in almost ever
case. The premiums to be awarded were too small
and too few, and We hope another season to see
much larger sum appropriated for this class OF domes
tic industry.
The first day was devoted to examinations by com
mitteee and general show of stock. In the afternoon
the Town Hall was open for exhibition. On the eve
: alns OF the first day the Society held a meeting ut tn
: Court House for general discussions-Mr. Vice Presi
G dent Wilson in the chuir.
e President Wheeler being called upon by the Chair
0 man to say something on the " Rearing of Stock,
rose and said
. 1t must provoke a smile from the audience to hea
A HIM called upon to express opinions on such a subject
p having never had any experience in tina, matter :
theoretical opinions however valuable on some poinu
could be OF little worth on that still, being up, h
g would say a word on what perhaps was connecte
with the " rearing OF stock " = on Cultivated Breed
1t is obvious, he said, that they enjoy in England yer
great advantage over US in this country. There, al
" large landed estates, which are entailed, and do moi 9
i. out of The same familv from oanara,io, IN ,auarntini