Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-09-24

go on from EOOu 10 ucttcr uith tHoy SH"ii "iuh'
their annual expositions, in all these several de
partmcnts, fully represent the great agriculture
and industrial interests of Vermont.
The Fair Just closed has been successful to 9
good degree The exhibition as a whole was
the best ever made in the State, and it gave the
numerous strangers present exalted ideas oil
the capacities of Vermont as a stock growing
Statc,-idcas which did not fail to find frequent
expressions in terms qualified only by the high
or degrees of comparison.
The number of horses exhibited was an in
crease over that of any former year; at the
same time there were fewer than ever of those
who have won distinction abroad. There were
not dozen present the names of which are
familiar to well posted horsemen out Of the
State. They were mostly young horses that
made their first appearance this year in the par
tculor class in which they were respectively en-
tered Being nearly all of Morgan or Mcssen-
ger blood they not only exhibited skilful breed
ing but "gavc promise of great future useful
ness" The number under each head will be
found in the preceding table, and the premium
list will tell the story of the comparative merits
of the best in each class.
The exhibition of cattle this year indicated a
very marked improvement, in some respects, in
this important department of our agriculture.
We refer particularly to the classes of HorougE-
bred cattle The Committee on Durhams, for
instance, in their report very justly remark;
alt is gratifying to notice the manifest improve
ment in this class of stock. The animals offer
ed for competition are superior and highly merit
orious, and present marks of careful and judi
cious breeding, in the right direction. We
cannot but hope that this important branch of
Vermont stock growing is destined to go on
and open a new source of wealth to our farming
interests. We already grow the best horses
and the best sheep. Why should we not grow
the best cattle also?"
Where all were so good it is difficult to par
ticularize. Thanks are due to Messrs. Bowdish
and Wright of Weybridgc, Messrs. Winslow
of Putney, Mr.. Morse of Shelburne, and to
several other spirited breeders, for their exhibit
tons of Thoroughbred Durhams.
In the class of Thoroughbred IIercfords
there were cattle that rejoice in as pure and as
any other country. There was for instance the
herd exhibited by Mr.. Goodel of Brattleboro, all
very superior animals, part of them imported
from England, few years since, by Levi A.
Dowley, Esq, formerly of Brattlcboro, and the
remainder direct descendants from that impor-
taton. When Mr.. Dowley removed from Brat
teboro' Mr.. Goodell purchased his farm and
with it the greater part of his herd of Hereford
cattle. Mr.. Dowley selected his cattle in Eng
land, himself, with great care, and regardless of
prices, and brought away with him to this coun-
try the very best strains of blood he could find
His bull was selected from the celebrated
herd of Lord Berwick, one of the oldest and
most skillful breeders of Herefords in that coun-
try. His Lordship subsequently exhibited at the
Show of the Royal Agricultural Society, Her
eford bull, full brother to the one he sold Mr..
Dowley, and took the Societys first prize for
bulls in that class
The show of Thoroughbred Devons was full
and excellent. This appears to be q popular
breed in Vermont, and our farmers have already
as good animals of this breed as can be found
anywhere. OF those on exhibition it is sufi-
Gent concentration TO them to say that Mr.. Tim
othy Davis of East Montpelier, Messrs. d. Da-
Wis and Sons of Windsor, Mr. c. II. Parsons
of Georgia, and Mr.. Jonathan Smith of New
Haven, all of whom are skillful breeders, showed
some of their best stock. The cattle were all
Jeauties and well represented this truly beauti-
full race.
We noticed several excellent animals among
the grade cattle, or "mixed bloods," which we
have not space here to mention specially. OF
the Working Oxen, we were well pleased with
those exhibited by G. w. Black of Westmins-
ter, Mr.. Lane of Burlington, and Mr.. Good
rich of Richmond. There we're several pairs
of Steers, of marked excellence, which we would
be glad to mention specially, bat must pass on.
Among the Foreign Cattle there were several
good specimens of the thorough Durhams
and Dcvons, from Canada East. The Hon.
George VAIL of Troy, n. Y. the delegate to our
State Exhibition from the State Society of New
York, exhibited splendid Durham bull, of his
own breeding. This bull was not shown for
premium but as good-wi contribution to our
State exhibition. Mr.. Vail has long been a
breeder of blood cattle, sparing no pains or ex-
pense in procuring the best strains of the Dur
nam blood known, and has great experience and
skill as a breeder. In the report of the Com
mittee on Foreign Cattle they say: ave would
make honorable mention Of the superb Durham
bull exhibited by Geo. Vail, Esq, of Troy n.
Y. In the opinion of the Committee the spec
ial thanks of the Society are due to Mr.. Vail
for thus gratutously mourning the expense and
trouble of showing so fine an animal, and of
contributing SO essentially to the excellence of
this its Annual Exhibition"
We may well rejoice and take courage at the
manifestations of rapid Improvement in the
breeding of thoroughbred cattle here in YER
mont. Our farmers are evidently moving in
this direction, and are at the very outset pro-
curing the very best blood of the Durham,
Hprpford and DpvOn rocne Onr ,,ao,la o,n