REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 171 



WORCESTER WEST. 



Worcester County is the central county of our State. It 

 has a strong, productive soil, has always maintained its ascend- 

 ancy for its fine cattle and agricultural products. From my 

 boyhood I call to mind the high reputation of its butter and 

 cheese. More than half a century ago the town of New Brain- 

 tree furnished annually my native town, (Fall River,) large 

 quantities of those excellent articles. The products of this 

 county have always surpassed any other county in our State. 



In 1850 the amount of corn raised in this county exceeded 

 476,000 bushels ; potatoes, more than 733,000 bushels ; 145,000 

 tons of hay, a greater quantity than any other county in the 

 United States, except Oneida County, New York. The dairy 

 this year was immense, being 1,881,823 lbs. butter, and. 

 2,584,245 lbs. cheese. 



An interesting inquiry arises here. What progress has been 

 made from year to year ? How will the products of 1860 

 compare with those of 1850 ? With all the advancement in agri 

 cultural science, has there been a corresponding increase in 

 product ? Can the farmers of New Braintree, with the aid 

 of their estimable housewives, furnish us with a more excellent 

 dairy than we received from them more than fifty years ago ? 



Is there an improvement in soil, and can the same number 

 of acres, under the hand of modern culture, produce a greater 

 crop ? These, and. questions like these, are what most interest 

 the farmer. 



I have often thought that it would be interesting, if we 

 could come together at our county fairs, each section prepared 

 with statistics showing what had been done in the different 

 pursuits. 



My province, however, is to speak more particularly of the 

 agricultural society designated as Worcester West. 



This society held its ninth annual exhibition at Barre, on the 

 27th of September last. This beautiful, quiet village lies more 

 than twenty miles from any railroad communication. If you 

 approach it by the way of West Brookfield, you will find 

 for some distance a light, stony soil, surface undulating, with 

 many hills, from its general appearance not very productive. 



