160 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



animals of any kind, he cannot be too careful to select the best 

 of any breed which his fancy or judgment may direct him to 

 rear. The sheep story is short, for there was not even a 

 solitary one to be seen on the show grounds. 



Of the trial of working oxen, and the ploughing, I can speak 

 favorably without comment. After the ploughing came the 

 exhibition of Boiler's patent stone lifter. Several large rocks 

 which were judged to weigh from one to five tons each, were 

 readily lifted from their beds with ease, and not occupying 

 more than two or three minutes time for each one. A machine 

 of this kind should be owned in every town where rocks 

 abound, and should be kept constantly at work until the 

 grounds were all cleared, and the rocks made into walls. The 

 exhibition of domestic manufacture and fancy articles was not 

 as numerous as I would liked to have seen. The want of 

 carpets, rugs and blankets was readily accounted for, when I 

 found there were no sheep here to produce the raw material. 



The morning of the second day was very unpleasant, with a 

 north-east wind, and threatening a storm. In the afternoon 

 the threats were put in execution by the rain, which fell fast 

 and cold, to the great discomfort of all present. Notwithstand- 

 ing this, there was a large attendance of visitors. The hall and 

 grounds were crowded with people. 



The exhibition of fruits and garden vegetables was good — 

 that of fruits uncommonly so when we take into account the 

 great scarcity of apples all over New England. I counted 166 

 plates of apples, 180 of pears, and 61 of grapes, all tempting to 

 the eye, and no doubt would have been delicious to the taste. 

 The dinner took place in the spacious hall in the upper part of 

 the society's building, where near five hundred partook of an 

 ample dinner provided by J. B. Smith. 



After the dinner, the address was delivered by his Excellency 

 Governor Banks. On taking the platform he was received 

 amid hearty applause. Subject of his address, Industrial Ex- 

 hibitions, and no doubt was useful and interesting, as his 

 addresses always are; but I cannot speak of particulars, as I 

 was compelled to leave for the cars just as he commenced. 



Paoli Latiirop. 



