WEST SOMERSET SOCIETY. 



The Secretary, Albert Moore, writes me as follows : 



"This Society now embraces 223 members, 31 new ones having 

 been added during the past year. Its Annual Exhibition Avas held 

 at Anson, on the 3d and 4th days of October. 



Since our Show last year, this Society has made rapid progress. 

 We have secured a sliow ground and trotting park upon a beautiful 

 spot of twenty acres, well enclosed with a high fence, permanent 

 fixtures for stock, and one of the best trotting tracks in the State. 



This was our first Show and Fair upon the enclosed grounds. The 

 cattle show, on Wednesday, was by far the largest ever held in this 

 county. The whole number of animals entered for premiums was 

 748, viz: 4i yokes of oxen, 44 pairs of steers and steer calves, 34 

 cows, 35 heifers and heifer calves, 9 bulls and bull calves, 4 stal- 

 lions, 10 breeding mares and carriage horses, 30 colts, 443 sheep 

 bucks and lambs, 4 boars^ 1 sow and 2 litters of pigs. The cattle 

 were mostly grade Durhams. A few noble specimens of Herefords 

 and Dcvons were shown. The exhibition of sheep wcs very large, 

 and of a superior quality ; mostly of the Spanish breed. Great 

 interest is taken in raising sheep, and is considered by our farmers 

 the most profitable of any branch of farming. Horses are receiving 

 some attention, and some fine animals were exhibited. 



The Fair, on Thursday, was a partial failure, on account of a 

 pouring rain, with nothing but a temporary tent for a shelter. The 

 articles offered for exhibition, notwithstanding the rain, were quite 

 numerous, and showed that a great interest is taken in this depart- 

 ment by the farmers' wives and daughters. 



No premiums were offered on crops ; but in this department of 

 agriculture, there is a growing interest, and the past year has 

 blessed the husbandman with a bountii'ul crop of everything save 

 hay. The corn crop has been good ; barley and oats excellent ; po- 

 tatoes never better, and wheat, so far as sown, is better than for 



