viii REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



WORCESTER. 



It was fair to presume that at such an inland centre of business, 

 where farming was in the ascendant, there would be found, at the 

 proper time, a first-class agricultural show, and such the fifty-seventh 

 of the series here proved to be. An aged resident, whose acquaint- 

 ance I made on my wa}', was of the opinion that the show in Worces- 

 ter, of late j^ears, was not so good as when, in b^'-gone j-ears, it was 

 held in the town on the open common. When I came to see for 

 m^'self, I could but think the gentleman was mistaken. 



Worcester and vicinity are noted for cattle-raising, and notwith- 

 standing the slight scare of the Texas cattle disease, there was an 

 immense gathering together of neat hoofs, consisting of herds, and 

 of less numbers, of all kinds, classes, and ages ; and they were, in 

 about all cases, fine specimens. The following are the names of the 

 principal exhibitors, with the kinds and numbers shown by them : 

 Of Aj'rshires, B. F. and H. A. Harrington, of Worcester, had 25 

 head, and Bela J. Stone, of Westborough, had 13 head. Of Devons, 

 Harvey Dodge, of Sutton, 12 head. Of Jerseys, W. T. Merrifield, 

 of Worcester, had 29 head, and O. B. Hadwen, of Worcester, 20 

 head. Of Swiss cattle. Hall and Aldrich, of Worcester, had 16 

 head. Of Du'ch, Luther G. Moore, of Worcester, had six head. Of 

 native stock, E. G. Hewett, of Worcester, had five head. Of grade 

 Devons, William Eames, of Worcester, had eight head. Of grade 

 Shorthorns, John T. Ellsworth, of Barre, had five head ; H. Barnes, 

 of Worcester, five ; and Luther Crawford, of New Braintree, had 

 twelve head. Of course there were very many persons exhibiting 

 in less numbers than those named. I was particularl}" pleased with 

 the symmetrical form and uniform color of one of the herds of 

 Jersej's, — O. B. Hadwen's, — consisting mainly of cows and heifers. 



Among the cattle there were some thirty or forty 3'oke of splendid 

 oxen, twent}' pairs of which entered the contest in the ploughing- 

 match. This work took place on the Society's grounds, at an early 

 hour, on the first day, and was spiritedly and well performed. There 

 were three horse teams engaged in it. There were on exhibition 

 several pairs of trained steers, performing feats which, besides fur- 

 nishing amusement, gave manifest evidence of intelligence in dumb 

 animals. This was eminently a cattle-show. 



There was a considerable show of swine, as to numbers, and they 

 were of select breeds. Of sheep there were but few. Of poultry 

 there was a good variety. 



In the hall, the display of apples and pears was very fine, but 



