xxxii REPOKTS OF DELEGATES. 



sunshine and showers in what to us seems fitful recklessness, and 

 this 3'ear made the weather for most of our exhibitions intolerable 

 for the crowds of anxious sight-seers, and decidedly unpropitious 

 for the treasuries. 



No exception was made in behalf of the fair of the Middlesex 

 South, held at Framingham September last, though it might naturally 

 have been supposed that the genial efforts of its accomplished presi- 

 dent, Geo. B. Brown, Esq., and the energy of Jas. W. Brown, its 

 secretary, would have projected all sorts of blessings, and had the 

 weather-clerk been in my place, a guest of the president, he would 

 hardly have dared to recompense his hospitality by the unkind 

 profusion of rain which turned the track into a canal and caused 

 the whole enclosure to look like a skating-rink with the ice off, 

 or a Coliseum partly submerged for an exhibition of aquatic 

 sports. 



But not even bad weather could prevent a small but choice show 

 of thoroughbred stock, the AjTshires of Messrs. Sturtevant leading 

 off, followed by the Jerseys of Messrs. Bowditch, Ellis and Moul- 

 ton, with a sprinkling of Dutch and Guernsey. There was also a 

 fair display of native cows, working oxen, extra fat hogs, and an 

 excellent show of poultry, in about one hundred coops. 



The hall was finely decorated with flowers, and the tables gi'oaned 

 with fruit and vegetables of every sort ; the silver medals for the 

 best assortment of each going to Framingham cultivators. Bread, 

 I was glad to see, was a specialty, and there were some really good 

 specimens of brown bread, but dairy products were on a small 

 scale. 



The equine race came out in full strength and speed (as did the 

 human in a fireman's foot-race) , and had the exhibition no other 

 special feature, that of the attractive one of horses was sufficient to 

 draw a good Yankee crowd. The stallions, farm-horses, roadsters, 

 family horses, matched pairs, and mares with colts, were all worthy 

 of the place, and did credit to their owners, and there would seem 

 no more fitting place for the display of this noble animal and his 

 qualities than at our annual agricultural fairs. 



The dinner was of course excellent, and the speeches short and 

 lively, and notwithstanding the cold and lowering weather, with 

 assortment of rains, the nineteenth annual exhibition of this society 

 was in all respects a success. 



R. Goodman. 



