304 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the close of the first day. He failed, by this delay, to witness 

 the show of cattle, the ploiighing-match,and many other things 

 which it would have been pleasant to see. This absence, how- 

 ever, resulted in no loss of information upon all that occurred 

 on the first day, as the Secretary of the Board was on the 

 ground, and from him, as a disinterested and highly competent 

 witness, all necessary facts were obtained. 



The show of cattle was, by his report, and by general consent, 

 admitted to be one of the finest, if not the very best ever made 

 by any of the county societies. It would unnecessarily prolong 

 this report to do justice in detail to the animals presented, and 

 it is deemed enough to say that as a whole this part of the 

 exhibition was very gratifying, and deserving of unqualified 

 commendation. In the department of oxen, the show was par- 

 ticularly excellent. It is evident that western Massachusetts 

 may compete successfully witli any portion of New England in 

 raising cattle for the farm or the stall. 



The ploughing, drawing and other matches of skill or 

 strength, are said to have been well contested. The manner of 

 conducting these branches of competition, and the result of 

 them, probably does not vary in most of the counties of the 

 State. 



The show of horses, and the contest of trotting, on the morn- 

 ing of the second day, drew a large concourse of spectators. 

 Though there were several good horses on the ground, some 

 disappointment was felt that the number was not greater, and 

 the qiiality superior. It was expected that, in a section of the 

 State where the advantages for rearing colts are so good, and 

 so near to the State of Vermont, where a large proportion of 

 the New England horses are raised, a larger and better repre- 

 sentation would have been made. Though fair, it was not 

 superior to what is often seen in some of the eastern counties. 

 The collection of vegetables, fruits and flowers, though not 

 large, was good. The varieties of apples, pears and peaches, 

 though not numerous, evinced taste and success in horticulture. 

 The show of butter and cheese was meagre for a section wliere 

 pasturage is so abundant and so fine. The manufactured arti- 

 cles preseiited spoke well for the skill of the mechanics of that 

 region. The specimens of domestic industry did honor to the 

 ladies of Franklin, but were not as numerous as they should 



