802 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



act, and heard no word which would not have been becoming' 

 any where, and at any time. 



The show of cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, A-c., was of good 

 quality, but not very extensive. There were some fine blood 

 animals. Aljout one hundred horses and colts were on the 

 ground the second day, many good, and some of great merit. 

 Only one town team was present, and that from Leverett, which 

 both from tlie number and quality of the oxen, was highly cred- 

 itable to the farmers of that town. It is to be hoped that that 

 peculiar and attractive feature of exhibitions in the western 

 counties will not hereafter be omitted. 



The drawing match was well contested by many excellently 

 trained teams. 



A large number of competitors entered the lists at the plough- 

 ing match. The ground was a tough sward, and well calculated 

 to try the strength of the animals, and the skill of the plough- 

 man. Perfect order prevailed. The men and the teams seemed 

 perfectly to understand each other, and to be on excellent terms. 

 Nobly and beautifully was the field contested. I have rarely 

 witnessed a more interesting spectacle of that kind. I think I 

 have never seen a better average performance, some of the work 

 being very excellent, and every competitor doing his work well. 

 Very few ladies were present. Ploughmen appreciate their 

 smiles, and if the ladies of Hampshire wonld make the experi- 

 ment, as they have done elsewhere, they would find the plough- 

 ing match one of the most interesting and exciting portions of 

 the exhibition, which woman has contributed so much to make 

 useful, attractive and ennobling. 



The hall was well filled with worthy specimens of the pro- 

 ducts of the farm, the garden, the orchard, the dairy, the work- 

 shop, and of the handiwork of matrons and maidens. The 

 samples of vegetables, butter and cheese, were numerous and 

 excellent. The samples of brown, wheat and rye bread, were 

 more nimierous than I have ever seen elsewhere. The quality, 

 tried by all practicable tests, was excellent. The rye bread, 

 especially, in beauty of appearance and deliciousness to the 

 taste, exceeded any which it has fallen to my lot to see or taste 

 elsewhere. If the fair bread makers of Hampshire could be 

 induced to colonize the wheat raising States of the West and 

 South, they would accomplish a much needed revolution, and 



