REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 303 



entitle tliemselres to the gratitude of the dwellers in that region, 

 and all travellers of this and all coming generations. 



Professor Nash had been engaged to deliver the address, but 

 was providentially absent. The venerable and learned Pr. 

 Hitchcock, upon brief notice, kindly consented to supply his 

 place. From his abundant treasury he gave us things both 

 new and old, abounding in wit and wisdom, all interesting and 

 instructive, and listened to with great satisfaction by an intelli- 

 gent and appreciating audience. The choir was composed of 

 students of the college, two of whom contributed appropriate 

 and beautiful hymns for the occasion. The dinner wJis bounti- 

 ful and good. The hall was entirely filled, the guests number- 

 ing more than three hundred, of whom many were ladies. 

 Speeches were made by several gentlemen, and the men and 

 women, the young men and maidens of Hampshire, evinced 

 their interest by remaining in unbroken numbers until the 

 shades of evening were about us and the scene closed. 



All the arrangements appeared to me judicious, and admi- 

 rably carried out. The society appears to be in earnest, and 

 prosperous. My previous opinion that our agricultural exhi- 

 bitions are the real festivals of the people of Massachusetts, and 

 that they are the instruments of very great good, was, by this 

 experience, strengthened and confirmed. 



I am indebted to the Hampshire Society, and to the people 

 whom I met, for two very happy days, and many pleasant 

 memories. 



J. H. W. Page. 



FRANKLIN. 



As the representative of the State Board of Agriculture, at 

 the annual exhibition of the Franklin County Agricultural 

 Society, the undersigned submits the following report of what 

 fell under his observation in connection with that festival. 



The exhibition occupied two days, October 1st and 2d. Owing 

 to a misapprehension in regard to the running of the trains from 

 Boston to Greenfield, your delegate did not arrive until near 



