EEPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



WORCESTER WEST. 



The annual exhibition of the Worcester West Agricultural Society 

 ■^vas held at Barre on September 30 and October 1, 1875. The 

 weather on the first da}" was cold and rainy, which prevented many 

 from sending their usual contributions of stock and products to the 

 show. But during the night the weather cleared, and earl}- in the 

 morning the roads were thronged with people and cattle on their 

 way to the fair-grounds, so that by noon the}' presented an interest- 

 ing and lively spectacle. 



This vSociety has been famous for its good exhibitions, and 

 although your delegate did not witness that of the first day, he has 

 no hesitation in pronouncing the whole exhibition as creditable to 

 the Society and honorable to the State. The Worcester West 

 Society, as is well known, is situated in one of the most favored 

 farming locations in the Commonwealth. It is renowned, also, for 

 the enterprise and intelligence of its leaders and members, whereby 

 it has achieved a well-earned reputation, not only in the State, but 

 throughout New England. 



We were, therefore, not surprised at the excellence of its exhibi- 

 tion. The president, Hon. Ginery Twichell, to whom the Society 

 is greatly indebted for services and contributions, was early on the 

 ground with his officers and marshals, determined that whatever " Old 

 Probabilities" might state in the weather report, this Society, and 

 the people who came to visit it, should have a good exhibition, and 

 a pleasant and profitable occasion. 



Tlie exercises of the second day opened with the ploughing-match, 

 on the inclosure inside the horse-track. There were nine ox and 

 eight horse teams which entered the lists for competition. The 

 work was well done, considering that the land was underlaid with 

 cobble-stones and coarse gravel, and what added much to the excel- 

 lence of'the work was the quiet, gentle manner in which the plough- 

 men managed their teams. And right here, in the language of 

 another, let me say, "As ploughing lies at the very foundation of all 

 successful culture, is it not a great mistake that the reports of com- 

 mittees on ploughing are generally so meagre?" 



This thought is suggested from the fact that these reports, unless 

 they are accompanied with some description of the kind of ploughs 

 used, and their efl[ect on the soil, can be of little use except as a 

 memorandum of the names of successful competitors. 



The cattle on exhibition were numerous, especially those for dairy 

 purposes. This region has been distinguished for its dairy products 

 for the last half of a century, and of course prominent in the stock 



