REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 291 



one well prepared to give it quite as minute an examination as 

 was awarded to any portion of the show, and I believe the com- 

 mittee of the whole gave it their unanimous approbation. 



John C. Bartlett. 



MIDDLESEX NORTH. 



The second annual exhibition of the Middlesex North Agri- 

 cultural Society, was held at Lowell, on the 16th of September, 

 Thanks to the worthy president of the society, William Spencer, 

 Esq., I was enabled to visit every portion of the exhibition, and 

 found that — with methodical arrangement, and a prompt ob- 

 servance of the programme — there was no difficulty in trans- 

 acting all the business in one day. While it might be highly 

 advantageous for agricultural societies to hold frequent meetings 

 during the winter season, for practical discussions, it is question- 

 able whether protracted cattle shows are advantageous. To the 

 working farmer, " time is money." 



The cattle show was on the north common, and' it was grati- 

 fying to find that there were more cattle than the long array of 

 pens would contain, showing an increased interest in this im- 

 portant department of agriculture. The display of milch cows 

 was excellent, embracing fine specimens of the Native, Grade, 

 Durham, Ayrshire, Devon, Galloway and Jersey breeds. There 

 was a noble Durham and other good bulls ; and if it be true 

 that "the ox knoweth his master," two fine yokes of cattle had 

 no reason to be ashamed of the care of their acquaintances. A 

 small show of horses was very creditable, although there were 

 no "trials of speed" for the gratification of 2.40 lovers, but 

 instead, some good honest pulling and backing, well calciilated 

 to display the noble qualities of the fine animals entered. The 

 hogs were not up to my expectations, although they were said 

 to surpass those exhibited last year. I saw no sheep, but there 

 was an abiindancc of poultry. It was the season of "conven- 

 tions," and there they were, on various "platforms," gobbling 

 and cackling, quacking and crowing, hissing and cooing, as if 



