400 



noon of the second day ; when they continued to crowd in until the 

 Committee were obliged to decline making any more entries, in order 

 that the Committee books might be placed in the hands of the View- 

 ing Committees. In their desire to accommodate such exhibitors, the 

 Committees delayed closing the books until the latest practicable moment ; 

 and by so doing they necessarily curtailed the time allotted to the View- 

 ing Committees to make their awards. This was an evil unavoidable 

 imder the circumstances, without incurring a greater ; but it is hoped 

 that a more strict punctuality on the part of exhibitors in future, and 

 greater promptitude in having their entries made in due season, may 

 prevent its recun'ence. 



The show of cattle, manifested'a "considerable improvement, and a 

 large increase in comparison with last year; and some very fine ani- 

 mals were upon the ground, besides those to which premiums were 

 awarded. 



The display of horses was also good, but not equal to what might 

 have been expected, considering the number owned in the county. 



There is no department of stock raising, upon which more attention 

 and pains have been bestowed, than the improvement of sheep. The 

 increase which has taken place of late years in the price of wool, has 

 rendered this a valuable item in the farmer's business, and has led to 

 extensive importations of the most celebrated varieties of fine-wooled 

 sheep. The owners of these foreign animals, however, did not bring 

 them forward for competition, while the expectation that they would 

 have done so, served to deter some proprietors of superior mixed and 

 native breeds from entering; so that the competition in sheep was not 

 lively, and although the pens contained some quite superior animals, 

 the exhibition was not so good as the county is capable of producing. 



The show of hogs was fine, and far in advance of last year. 



Butter was, as usual, very good, and very plenty. In this branch of 

 dairy farming, it would be difficult to surpass the county of Genesee. 

 In cheese, however, the committee found the same want of competition 

 which was previously observed, and noted in the last Annual Report of 

 this Society. It may in part be accounted for this year, by the extreme 

 drouth of the summer and fall, using up the feed, and rendering milk 

 scarce. 



