No. 112. IN ASSEMBLY, MAR. 30, 1853. COMMUNICATION From the Corresponding Secretary of the New-York State Agricultural Society. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, To the Hon. WILLIAM H. LUDLOW, Speaker of the Assembly: In pursuance of the acts of the Legislature for the promotion of Agriculture, I present herewith the annual report of the New-York State Agricultural Society, with the proceedings of the Executive committee, and abstracts of the reports of county societies for 1852. Very respectfully yours, [Ag. Tr. '53.] A B. P. JOHNSON, Cor. Secretary. TRANSACTIONS OF THE New-York State Agricultural Society. Report of the Executive Committee for 1852. TO THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK: The Executive Committee of the New-York State Agricultural Society pursuant to the act for the encouragement of Agriculture, RESPECTFULLY REPORT: That during the past year, the operations of the Society have been carried forward with an increase of interest over those of any former year; and the results of their operations will be found in the proceedings which accompany this report. In no former year have the evidences of progress in every branch of agriculture, and the mechanic arts connected with it, been of a more cheering character. In the various departments of the operations of the farm, a perceptible advance is witnessed; and improvements are being carried into effect in almost every county in the State, which, a few years since, would have been regarded as utterly impracticable. The subject of draining, which has been brought prominently before the public through the exertions of the Society, and which, when first presented to the attention of our farmers but a few years since, was received with distrust, now attracts attention in every quarter; and among the papers which accompany this report, will be found the statement of a single farmer, who has laid during the year, seventy-two thousand five hundred and fifty drain tile, in trenches, varying from two and a half to three feet in depth; making five thousand four hundred and ninety-six rods, equal to 17 miles and 56 rods. The whole cost of this expenditure was 12 cents per rod for the tiles; and the expense of preparing the trenches and laying the tiles, was 15 cents per rod. Nor is this a solitary case, as there have been in various sections of the State, tiles laid to a large extent, though in no instance has such extensive work been performed as in the case referred to. When it is remembered that in 1848, John Delafield, Esq., of Seneca county, introduced the first tile machine into this State, and that for a considerable period it turned out more tile than there was demand for, while at the present time, there are, it is believed, at least from twelve to fourteen machines in operation, and the demand for tile is nearly equal to the entire power of all the machines, some idea may be formed of the progress which has been made. That this has been so, results from the facts which have been presented to the consideration of practical farmers, of the great advantages resulting from thorough draining where needed. In one county in this State, in 1849, the entire saving of the wheat crop upon the drained lands, as compared with the crops upon land undrained in the same county, which suffered severely, was more than sufficient to have drained the other portions of the county under wheat cultivation. It has been the constant endeavor of the Society to impress upon the minds of our farmers, that to enable them to meet with success the competition which increased facilities by railroads and other channels of communication are opening up to the fertile western states, they must improve, not only their system of husbandry, but must also adapt themselves to the circumstances in which this competition places them. To do this effectually, a new system of farming must, in a measure, at least, be adopted, and crops, which were once the leading ones in our State, must give place to those of a different character. The returns of the last census most clearly show that this has taken place to a considerable extent already; and the general prosperity of the farmers of our State, and the successful result of their operations the past year, show, that their labors have, in the main, been well directed. The wheat crop has decreased, from a less number of acres devoted to its culture; a crop which the west can raise and send to market, so as to compete with us successfully. Indian corn, rye, oats and barley, which will not bear transportation so well, have largely increased since the last State census. Our dairies have also very materialy advanced, not only in the quantity of butter and cheese, but in quality also; and what is most encouraging, while the increase in quantity of butter has been 264,361 pounds, and of cheese 12,991,437 pounds, the number of milch cows, since the last State census, has decreased 68,066, showing most clearly that the efforts of the Society in elevating the standard of our daily products, and in improving the character of our dairy animals, have been most gratifying. The average yield of cheese per cow, as estimated in 1845, was 110 lbs. each; and the yield in 1850, adopting the same standard of estimate, gives a fraction over 160 pounds each, showing an increase per cow, at the average prices at which cheese was probably sold by the farmers, six cents, of about $37.50 each-to$1,162,916.12, for the whole number of cows in the State employed in the cheese dairies alone; a revenue to the farmers engaged in this business, equal to nearly one-half the annual revenue of our canals. The increase in butter, though not as large, is still very satisfactory, and shows most conclusively the advance which has been made in this department of agriculture; and in which, from the character of our soils and climate, and the facility of our markets, we are not likely to be superseded by any section of our country. The Society have ever kept before the minds of the farmers of our State, the importance of doing well what they did do; and the premium farms to which awards have been made from year to |