xvi KEPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



certain!}^ as it does on the animal. To educate our domestic animals 

 through the agency of love instead of fear, is the great lesson of the 

 hour, and this "was the lesson taught by the training of these 

 steers." 



The second day opened inauspiciously, and the rain greatly dimin- 

 ished the attendance. This was unfortunate, as the day had been 

 set apart for the exhibition of the horse, that faithful servant whom 

 the poet Cowper has called, " The noblest of the train that wait on 

 man." There was the usual exhibition of carriage-horses, stallions, 

 breeding-mares and colts. A large number of horses on the grounds 

 possessed superior qualities, but the weather prevented a full exhi- 

 bition of the same. 



This Society has a debt of $5,000. Its debt was much larger, 

 but is being reduced yearl}'. 



I can but saj' that I found myself in the midst of a company of 

 earnest workers, who seemed to have a true idea of the progress of 

 agriculture, and to be doing their part to forward it ; their kind 

 attentions toward me prove that the graces of hospitality are as 

 carefully cultivated as the products of the soil. 



The Worcester South is a live, flourishing Society, doing credit to 

 the State as well as to itself. 



J. Ladd. 



WORCESTER SOUTH-EAST. 



The Worcester South-East Agricultural Society held its sixteenth 

 exhibition at Milford, September 29 and 30, and October 1. I did 

 not attend on the first day, and arrived a little too late on the 

 second to see the ploughing-match, which was hotl}' contested by 

 30 teams — 21 pairs of oxen, and nine pairs of horses. All who saw it 

 pronounced it a splendid sight, and acknowledged that the work was 

 admirably done. On returning to the fair grounds, the trial of 

 working oxen and steers commenced, and was kept up nearly 

 throughout the day. The trials were first made with a load on a cart, 

 and were contested by 15 pairs eight-year-olds, and 12 pairs four- 

 year-olds, all of which handled their load well, and a good number 

 did it ver}^ handsomel}', and apparentl}'^ with perfect ease. We 

 noticed that where the lash was least used, the work was done best ; 

 but as a rule we must give the teamsters credit for kindness to their 

 oxen. Among the teamsters we noticed one man sevent3--two j-ears 

 old, who drove his own team, a pair of fine five-year-old oxen, and 

 we doubt if any oxen did their work better. On being questioned, 

 he stated that he had attended every fair, except one, of the Worcester 



