INDEPENDENT SOCIETIES.

THE UNION AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The Union Agricultural Society was formed in September, 1855, consisting of the following townships: Twinsburg, Hudson, Solon, Northfield, Aurora, Streetsboro, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, and all other townships within five miles of the center of Twinsburg.

It is situated in the corner of four counties, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Portage, and Summit, twenty miles from the location of any county society.

Said society was incorporated Oct. 13th, 1863, and holds a deed of eight acres of land near the center of Twinsburg, (at which place all fairs are to be held,) with suitable buildings, horse stalls and cattle pens. The officers of the society consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one Director from each township included in the society.

Number of members, 303. Number of entries for last year, 546. The society is in a very prosperous condition, and bids fair to future usefulness, situated as it is in one of the best agricultural and dairy districts within the State. The principal crops raised are wheat, corn, cats, barley, and potatoes. It is also well adapted to fruit. During the year 1863 the amount of cheese shipped from the above named townships was 26,031 tons; butter, 328 tons; nearly all of which was made within the district. Number of horses owned, 2,600; cattle, 16,000; sheep, 21,000; killed by dogs, 200; swine, 2,180; mules, 20. Amount of wheat, 26,294 bushels; rye, 271 bushels; barley, 378 bushels; corn, 93,592 bushels; oats, 46,855 bushels; buckwheat, 200 bushels; potatoes, 25,043 bushels; hay, 23,000 tons; maple sugar, 133,025 pounds; maple syrup, 1,279 gallons; sorghum, 1,000 gallons.

UNION ACRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF WELLINGTON, LORAINE COUNTY. This society embraces some ten or twelve townships; taking in the south part of Loraine west part of Medina, north part of Ashland, and east part of Huron counties. It was organized nine years ago, four or five townships combining at first, and a membership of about 150. It has been steadily increasing in territory, number of members, and in the amount of receipts. Our eighth annual Fair was held September 30th, October 1st and 2d, 1863, and was entirely successful. Total number of entries, 1,066. Amount of receipts, $1,034. Number of members, 513. The board of officers seem determined to spare no effort to make the society highly beneficial to the farmers and mechanics in the vicinity.

The season was very dry, and what crops were planted yielded but poor returns, in conse. quence of the drouth and early frost. This part of the country is principally engaged in grazing, and generally but little grain raised. Many fat cattle, sheep, and hogs are annually sent from here. Many farmers are engaged in dairying, and large amounts of cheese and butter are made, which brought high prices the past season. Wool too is becoming a staple production, There has been a great increase in the number and quality of sheep this year. The future prospect for farmers never looked brighter.

STATEMENTS OF FARM CROPS.

Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio, ss.

Edmund H. Cole, being duly sworn, says he accurately measured the land upon which H. V. Bronson raised a crop of potatoes the past season, and the quantity of land is half an acre, and

no more.

Sworn to before me this 17th day of December, 1863.

EDMUND H. COLE.

MERRILL BOODEY, J. P.

Boston Township, Summit County, Okio, ss.

H. V. Bronson, being duly sworn, says that he raised a crop of potatoes the past season upon the land measured by Edmund H. Cole, and that the quantity of potatoes raised thereon was 197 bushels, and no more, measured in a sealed half bushel, and that the statements in regard to the manner of cultivation, etc., are correct, to the best of my knowledge.

Sworn to before me this 17th day of December, 1863.

H. V. BRONSON.

MERRILL BOODEY, J. P.

I take the liberty to make a statement to the State Board of Agriculture of the growing of potatoes I have entered for premiums. In January, 1859, John Mackull, an Irishman, who worked for me a few years previous, made me a visit, (he was then in the employ of James H. Godman, of Marion,) and among other seeds gave me two large potatoes, requesting me to plant and take good care of them, as Mr. Godman had them recently brought from Tennessee, where they had been highly recommended to him. I cut the two potatoes and made four hills; found they were good to yield and for table use. From what seed I saved in 1859 I raised six bushels in 1860; in 1861 I had over 60 bushels, my other kinds being nearly a failure; I used and sold so many that in 1862 I only had seed enough to plant one-fourth acre, them I took good care of and allowed no weeds to grow with them, and had 87 bushels. I have now grown this kind of potatoes five seasons; there has been no rot among them; very few small ones; scarcely any hollow; keep sound and healthy till July or August, and are ready sale to those who have used them and depend on buying. I could long since sold I have raised this season, at the highest market price, if I wished. I do not know what name they go by, so I wrote to Mr. Godman, on the 4th of November, 1863. I have entered these potatoes at the Fair;

I wish to know of you what they were called when you got them in Tennessee; if you do not recollect the name, I propose to call them the Mackull potato, in memory of our old friend, John Mackull, the Irishman, who was very fond of potatoes and too fond of whisky for his own good, as I understand he was killed on the cars last year, on his way to Cincinnati, as one of the celebrated Squirrel Hunters, to repel the then threatened rebel invasion of that city. Yours truly,

H. V. BRONSON.

The land being my own, I have set down in the above expense, account of $5 for use of land. All of the labor done as above, except ploughing and harrowing, was done by myself and boy, I have set the price what our labor was worth here this past season.

The soil is gravelly loam and has been in use for the past thirty years; have put on from five to twenty loads of manure the past ten or fifteen years.

I put on five and a half bushels seed, cut so there were but from one to three eyes to a piece, in drills three and a half feet apart, seed ten inches apart; planted 12th and 13th of May. They were cultivated and hoed the usual way twice. I possibly may have consumed six or eight days through the season pulling weeds from the rows and hoeing between them, as I let no weeds grow among the potatoes. There was thirty rows in all. I carefully saved all the small potatoes on these rows, (which were all of a length) and got 2 pounds 6 ounces, which were too small to cook.

George Manchester, of Madison, Lake county, being duly sworn, says that he raised a crop of potatoes the past season upon the land measured by N. E. Steward, and the quantity of potatoes raised thereon was 127 bushels, no more, and that the statements in regard to the manner of cultivation are correct to the best of my knowledge.

Sworn to before me this 20th day of November, 1863.

GEORGE MANCHESTER.

W. T. SIMONDS, J. P.

STATEMENT OF COST OF RAISING A HALF ACRE OF POTATOES BY GEO. MANCHESTER.

N. E. Steward, of Madison, Lake county, being duly sworn, says he accurately measured the land upon which George Manchester raised a crop of potatoes the past season, and the quantity of land is one-half acre, and no more.

NOBLE E STEWARD.

Sworn to before me this 20th day of November, 1863.

W. T. SIMONDS, J. P.