WEST OXFORD SOCIETY. 81 



must read, study and reflect upon the contents of the best papers, 

 periodicals and books that treat of the promotion and advancement 

 of stock-breeding, feeding, sheltering and good husbandry, thus 

 putting away the prejudice to "book forming." 



Extracts from Reports. 



LIVE STOCK. 



Horses. We were very much pleased with the respectable and 

 quite numerous entries in this department of the Fair, and before 

 going into detail, feel bound to say that no one, who has attended 

 the exhibitions of this Society, from its start to the present time, 

 and seen, on this occasion, the visible improvement and interest 

 manifested in the breed and style of horses entered at this Fair, but 

 feels conscious of the benefit of Agricultural Shows. 



There were entered for premiums, but three stallions. These 

 were quite good specimens ; but West Oxford did not do her duty. 

 While every village, in the Spring of the year, is visited by a half 

 dozen, and every street corner and shop door is curtained with showy 

 pictures, of groonv and stallion, here, where the farmer can see, ex- 

 amine, and know for himself, the age, size, weight, breed, and every 

 merit of the animal — worth, both to farmer, groom and owner, more 

 than an acre of printed advertisements, — the meagre number of three 

 only are on exhibition from all the best half of Oxford county ! A 

 fact not at all creditable to the intelligence and shrewdness of the 

 owners of these animals, and a strange disregard of self-interest, not 

 common to the alive and wide awake horse-dealers. 



Of these entries, one was by Freeman Hatch of Hiram. Breed, 

 Harpinas; weight, 1,100 pounds; six years old; raised in Hiram. 

 To this horse we award the first premium, for best stallion. 



One was entered by James Holden of Sweden. Horse seven 

 years old, known as Young Kentucky Hunter ; sired by the old 

 Kentucky Hunter, of Canton, Mass.; weight, 1,100 pounds; a fine 

 horse, and to him we award the second premium, for best stallion. 



One by Stephen L. Bradbury of Lovell. Age, three years ; dam, 

 Morgan ; sire, English horse ; raised in Fryeburg, by Col. E. L. 

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