CUMBERLAND COUNTY, AND PORTLAND HORTICULTU- 

 RAL SOCIETIES. 



The Secretary reports the operations of these two Societies as 

 follows : 



" In compliance with the requirements of law, I transmit to you 

 an account of the transactions of the Cumberland County Agricul- 

 tural and Horticultural Society, and of the Portland Horticultural 

 Society for the year 1863, of both which I am Secretary. 



I will first consider the doings of the County Agricultural Society. 



In February last, the Executive Committee of this Society met, 

 and chose a Committee to confer with the government of the Port- 

 land Horticultural Society, with reference to holding a joint autum^ 

 nal Exhibition and Fair. After some discussion this arrangement 

 was agreed to by the two Societies. 



The Joint Fair was held at Portland, .commencing Wednesday, 

 October 14th, and continued for three days. 



The exhibition of live stock was comparatively extensive, and 

 decidedly superior in quality. Of pure blooded animals, the show 

 of Devon breed was most extensive, numbering nearly one hundred 

 head. There was likewise a good exhibition of Durham stock, and 

 a few head of each' of the breeds that have become favorably known 

 in our State, and in New England generally, for their various ex- 

 cellencies, as farm stock. There was also a goodly show of the 

 various crosses of neat kine, which have obtained popularity in our 

 State ; but no information, through the statements of exhibitors or 

 otherwise, with reference to the productiveness of the animals, or 

 their tested excellencies in any way, has reached me that would 

 be of interest to the agricultural portion of our State. 



The exhibition of horses was very fine, and would have been 

 creditabb to a State Fair ! But in this department nothing wa& 

 elicited in the way of information, that would be of practical value 

 to the farmer or grazier. 



The exhibition of sheep, swine and poultry, was, as usual, far 



