xl REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



The hall presented a good display of apples, pears and grapes. 

 There was a table of vegetables, some fine, but on the whole rather 

 meagre in quantity. 



As usual, the numerous articles from the hands of the ladies 

 showed not only their skill and industry, but also their interest in 

 the fair. 



Another featui'e of this fair attracted our attention. On the even- 

 ing of the first day of the fair, the farmers and their wives and 

 daughters gathered at the church for a social meeting. It opened 

 with very good music. Then some of the sons, who had been away 

 from the farms and native hills following a profession, entertained 

 and instructed the audience. They came l>ack to sa^' to the young 

 men, though the}^ would find more excitement abroad, yet, in their 

 opinion, less happiness was enjoyed, and less real success, than upon 

 their native hills. 



In our opinion the influence of this society is to increase a knowl- 

 edge of agriculture, and especially to awaken and stimulate a laud- 

 able ambition among the farmers and their wives to excel in the 

 management of a farm. 



In closing, allow me to exjDress my thanks to the officers of this 

 society and the delegate of this Board, residing at Blandford, for 

 the unremitting attention and open hospitality shown during my 

 visit. 



Wm. Knowlton. 



WORCESTER. 



As delegate from this Board, we A'isited the annual fair of the 

 Worcester Coxmty Agricultural Society, September 1 9th and 20th, 

 1872. ' ' , . 



Leaving Boston in the forenoon of the first day in one of the hard- 

 est rain-storms we remember to have experienced, we arrived at the 

 "heart" of the Commonwealth and on the ground of the society 

 about two o'clock, P. M., in time to witness the intellectual part of 

 the annual entertainment at the hall. We think the social advan- 

 tages which are particularly secured at the annual dinner are by no 

 means the least important benefits derived from our fairs. 



Leaving the hall at the close of the exercises — the clouds of the 

 morning having given place to genial skies, — we found that despite 

 the torrents that poured in the earlier part of the day, the farmers 

 of Worcester County had not neglected their annual festival, but 

 were present themselves, their sons and daughters, with the prod- 

 ucts of their farms, the cattle from their hills, not excepting the 

 sheep, swine and poultry. 



