seen the animals not to be flattered. That of Princess III. was taken when she was eleven months old; that of Cambridge when he was seven years old.

Cattle to be good must have quality, which consists of good handling and plenty of lean flesh. Quality requires for its existence, as a connection, good hair. Hair to be good must be long, woolly or mossy, and abundant. It will be seen that the portraits of Cambridge and Princess show hair that is long, mossy and abundant. This characteristic goes with the family; and in quality no tribe ever exceeded them. A. STEVENS.

NOTE.-The history of the Aislabie family may be found in Hutchinson's, in Mackensie's, and in Surtee's history of Durham-and the history of the Mallories and the Aislabies in Yorkshire, in Bigham's history of Yorkshire; and the facts in reference to the Stephensons, from the papers of the late Dr. Stephenson of Kelso, who was born at Ketton, and what relates to the Halls, from those of Alexander Hall, lately deceased.

COUNTY SOCIETIES.

The usefulness and importance of the county associations are more manifest every year of their existence. The reports which are furnished the present year are far more valuable than those of any former year. They are interesting to a very large class of farmers and others in their operations, and their annual exhibitions call together in the several counties large portions of the population who are deeply interested in the progress which is making in the agricultural interest. It is not alone by the improvements exhibited in the various departments of agriculture, that these annual meetings are useful. Here the farmers meet together and have free intercourse with each other, and from their interchange of sentiment and opinion, they mutually stir up one another to more systematic and energetic measures in the pursuit of their profession. We have no where seen exhibited more strikingly the advantages of these societies than in the following remarks of the Hon. Daniel Webster, of Marshfield, Mass., at the Fair of the Norfolk Agricultural Society. He says: "The great practical truth and characteristic of the present age is, that great public improvements were carried out by means of voluntary association. This principle-the principle of voluntary association-of bringing minds together to act upon each other, is the great principle and truth of the age. Its germ, to be sure, was to be seen centuries ago in the old world. It was to be traced in the establishment of cities in the feudal age; it was still further extended in the professional associations of Europe at a subsequent period. But it has been long-both in the old country and in this before the idea was brought to bear upon agriculture and the tillage of the soil. The reason of this was obvious. Merchants, traders and others, congregating in large cities, could meet together at almost any hour, summoned by the peal of almost any bell, to interchange their sentiments on any topic of moment.

"Not so with farmers. They were scattered all over the country; their labors were mostly solitary-here upon the plains, and there in the

deepest recesses of the hills; they have no exchange, no coffee house, no lyceum, where they could assemble together conveniently. Such too, in a great measure, was the case with them now; and hence it had become essential that these annual fairs should be held. Hence the necessity that they should be universally attended-not so much for the sake of the exhibition, or of any discourses to be delivered, or lectures to be given, as for the sake of interchanging sentiments, of comparing the experience of one with another; of mingling together and keeping up a communication of ideas. Every man obtained a great part of whatever knowledge he might possess, by conversation and communication with others. Books, indeed, might do something in this respect, but nothing in comparison with the communication. If we deduct from the aggregate of each man's knowledge, whatever he had learned by communication and conversation with his fellow man, very little would be left, and that little not worth much at best. It was intercourse with each other that made man sharp, and active, and enterprising; and, therefore, if there should not be at any annual exhibition of an agricultural association, a handsome pair of steers, or a likely cow, in the whole county, still, if there were the men assembled together in social intercourse, then, he said, the exhibition would be productive of much good."

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

The subject of an Agricultural College and experimental farm, is favorably noticed in the returns and addresses from most of the societies in the State. An increasing interest is manifest in the subject. An education adapted to the agricultural profession, is becoming with the farmers of the State a matter of paramount importance. It is viewed as necessary not only, but the time has arrived when measures should be adopted to ensure its speedy accomplishment on a scale worthy of the State, and commensurate with the wants of the farmer. The farmers and mechanics of the State have but to manifest their desire in a manmer that shall satisfy the Legislature that they are truly in earnest, and the work will not be long delayed. We would urge upon every association in the State to give to this subject early attention, and by efficient effort, send up their applications in such numbers as to satisfy all that they feel the deep importance of the subject, and of their desire that early measures should be adopted to put in successful operation an institution that will, under proper management, accomplish in due time the great objects they have in view-the improvement of Agriculture, and a complete education for the farmers and mechanics of the State.

ALLEGANY.

The Allegany County Agricultural Society held its annual fair at Angelica, on the 10th of October; it was quite numerously attended. Many gentlemen present manifested an ardent desire for the success and prosperity of the society, and expressed their earnest wishes for the promotion of the agricultural interest of the county. The exhibition of the various animals, and other articles usually exhibited on such occasions, was creditable to the society. The horses, cattle, and sheep afforded fine specimens of the different breeds.

The domestic manufactures and choice vegetables exhibited left no room to doubt the skill and ingenuity with which the former were fabricated or the latter cultivated. The exhibitions of the day, together with the deep interest manifested by our citizens in the improvement of the various branches of agriculture, as well as domestic manufactures, give a cheering hope that the most beneficial results will attend the future operations of the society.

Owing to the existence of several causes, Allegany has not been able, at the agricultural fairs, to make that rich and dazzling display that has characterized the fairs of many of her sister counties. A very great portion of our lands are as yet covered with dense forests. The vast quantity and superior quality of our pine and oak lumber engross the attention of capitalists and the more enterprising portion of our citizens. The quantity of lumber annually manufactured is immense; and the number of men and teams engaged in its manufacture and transportation to market create so heavy a draft upon the laborers, that the cultivation of the soil is neglected to a very injurious extent. The large profits realized from the manufacture and sale of lumber, and the immediate returns received by those engaged in the business, enable them to pay the highest wages, and command the service of nearly all the laboring men. To such an extent is this monopoly of working hands carried, that the farmer is left at his option, to have his lands cultivated at a price that will swallow up all he can raise, or let such of his fields as he cannot cultivate with his own hands, run to waste. These causes operate most injuriously upon the agriculture of the county, and have induced abroad, an unfavorable opinion of the quality of our lands. This expla nation is due to a soil naturally prolific, and which if properly cultivated, would rank high in the scale of production. It is believed that the causes mentioned as retarding our agriculture, are about to be removed.

The Genesee Valley Canal passing from north to south, through nearly the entire extent of the county, is now in the progress of rapid construction, and the completion of the New-York and Erie railroad, which will pass through its entire extent, from east to west, is anticipated to be near at hand. The completion of these works will form a new era in the agriculture of the county; they will cause our large forests to disappear, multiply the tillers of the soil, and afford us such facilities for marketing our produce, that agriculture will become the staple business of the county. When we shall have realized these anticipated results, we flatter ourselves, that Allegany will become strong in agricultural wealth and productions, and be able to make as fine a display at her fairs, as most of her sister counties.

wheat has not that the averSome fields of

During the past year, our crops of hay, wheat and Indian corn have been good; our meadows have yielded, on an average, over a ton and a half to the acre. It is believed that the average of been less than about seventeen bushels to the acre, and age of Indian corn has been about thirty to the acre. wheat that have been thrashed and measured, turned out over thirtyfive bushels to the acre on the average, and some fields of corn have averaged as high as from seventy-five to eighty bushels to the acre. There has been no report of the yield or culture of any field crops made to the society. The information as to crops, as above stated, is derived from reliable individuals, some of whom are members of the Society, and others not.

The amount of premiums awarded and paid by the Society for the past year, is $150, besides books. The balance in the hands of the treasurer carried to new account, is $180. Our annual meeting for the election of officers will be held in February, a report of which will be forwarded. W. G. ANGEL, President.

Officers 1850.-James Wilson, Jr., President; A. B. Heckman, Amos Pervin, E. B. Winans, Samuel P. Karr, John Simons, Robert Renwick, Jr., Vice Presidents; Ezra Starr, Secretary; James Lockhart, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, and ten directors.

CATTARAUGUS.

We take great pleasure in assuring you that during the past year there has been a decided improvement in the affairs of our Agricultural Society. Two days were fully occupied in its exhibition, which were witnessed by a large number of people.