NORTH KENNEBEC SOCIETY. 13 



NORTH KENNEBEC AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



For two years — 1870 and 1871 — the receipts of the Society 

 were so light that the Trustees decided to pay only fifty per cent, 

 of the premiums awarded ; and although this was just and reason- 

 able, under the circumstances, and in accordance with the terms 

 of the published programme, yet it occasioned some dissatisfac- 

 tion. This year the Trustees decided to pay the premiums in full, 

 running the Show through three days, with an unusual amount of 

 trotting, in order to secure a more attractive exhibition and a 

 larger attendance. So much of enterprise in the spring, when as 

 yet it was uncertain which way the grass-hopper would jump, or 

 whether the drought of last year was to be repeated, perhaps de- 

 served to be crowned with success ; but the result was that the 

 receipts of the year, from all sources, failed to meet the expenses 

 by about one hundred dollars. It is just to say, however, that the 

 ill success was due to the unfavorable weather on the first day of 

 the Exhibition, which sadly diminished both the show and the re- 

 ceipts. 



Of the Exhibition on this first day, it may be enough to say that 

 it was very creditable to the Society, especially if we consider 

 that it began cloudy and threatening, and ended in a drenching 

 rain. 



As in former years, the great families of neat stock were well 

 represented : The Herefords by the herds of H. C. Burleigh, Geo. 

 E. Shores, and Win. P. Black; the Durhams, by the herds of 

 Howard & Ellis and L. A. Dow, and by a choice bull belonging to 

 G. A. Parker; and the Jerseys, by the herds of N. R. Boutelle 

 and Wm. Dyer; and handsome animals presented by A. W. 

 Nowell, C. D. Tuck, C. M. Barrell, R. W. Pray, and others. Of 

 horsesy»sheep, swine and poultry, there was a fair display/ with 

 some very fine oxen from West Waterville and Belgrade. 



The Exhibition at the Hall, while it showed a lamentable falling 

 off in some departments, was very fair as a whole. In fruit there 

 was a good display, led off, as usual, by rich contributions from 

 that successful orchardist and veteran exhibition friend, Joseph 

 Taylor of Belgrade ; and closely followed, in apples, by Obed 

 Emery and Frank Nowell. In grapes, Messrs. Varney & Son, of 



