APPENDIX. xvii 



County Society (56), and every fair of the Worcester Soutli- 

 East (IG). 



The trial of walking oxen was an interesting feature of the 

 exhibition, and one worth}' of imitation by other societies. Thirteen 

 pairs were entered, and they showed themselves to good advantage ; 

 a pair of oxen that will walk quickly and upright are valuable, and 

 we think that the improvement of the walking qualities in oxen and 

 horses should have more attention. The town teams were very fine, 

 attracting the attention of large numbers of spectators, and were a 

 credit to the owners and the towns from whence the}' came. 



A number of pairs of oxen and steers were so completely matched 

 that it would be difficult for a person unused to them to tell them 

 apart. 



The exhibition of trained oxen and steers was the most interesting 

 feature of the ox show, and one that attracted a large crowd. They 

 were exhibited without a yoke, changing sides, one walking back- 

 wards and the other forwards in the same direction, at the same time 

 getting on to their knees and walking, 13'ing down, and getting up, 

 resting their forward feet on a saw-horse, carrj'ing their driver on 

 their back, and putting their forward feet into a cart. A son of Mr. 

 Perry Wood, of Mendon, thirteen 3'ears old, manifested great skill 

 in the management of a pair of steers twentj'-seven months old. 



Mr. F. L. Stockwell, of Sutton, exhibited two pairs of steers six 

 months and sixteen months old, which went handsomely through the 

 changes, backing and walking on their knees like oxen. 



H. M. Taft, of Uxbridge, Ely and Lewis Bates, of Mendon, and 

 other 30ung men, whose names I did not learn, manifested great 

 skill in the management of oxen and steers. 



Farmers and all managers of dumb animals, especially the man- 

 agers of the horse, might learn a lesson from these steers. It was 

 plain to be seen, that while tlie}' were made to obey, they were not 

 abused, or made afraid of their masters. All the oxen and steers 

 seemed perfectly at ease surrounded with a crowd of strangers. 



It was a pleasant sight, worth}' of note, to see the farmers with 

 from one to three sons assisting in the management of the oxen and 

 steers, showing that all farmers' sons do not leave the farm for the 

 store or office ; and we do not see an}' better countenances for honesty, 

 health, uprightness and energy, than we saw among these young 

 farmers. 



The exhibition of horses was good, and justly drew a large crowd. 



The pens were well filled with the varieties of stock, and the 

 society and the owners may feel justly proud of the dairy stock 

 contained in their pens. 



The spacious hall contained a good display of vegetables, fruits, 

 3 



