APPENDIX. xxiii 



UNION. 



The tenth annual exhibition of the Union Agricultural Society 

 was held at Blandford, on the 22d and 23d of September last. 



The country in and about Blandford is rough, high and moun- 

 tainous, but nevertheless is rich in grazing and grass-growing 

 lands. 



The farmers, aware of this fact, make the most of their situation, 

 by devoting a great deal of attention to raising and fitting cattle for 

 the markets, which they find in the towns on the Connecticut River. 



The exhibition was literally a cattle-show. Early on the 

 22d, the cattle began to come into the fair-ground. There were 

 Alderneys, Ayrshires, Devons, Durhams, Herefords and natives, — 

 some two hundred in all. A verj' large proportion of these cattle 

 were 30ung, growing, thrift}', well-trained oxen, and promising 

 steers. In the first class, the oxen of the Nyes were prominent. 

 In the latter, W. 11. Ilawle}', of Sandisfield, and Messrs J. D. Ripley 

 & Son, of Granville, presented steers which would be a credit to 

 anj'^ state exhibition. 



The animal which attracted the most attention was the Alderney 

 bull " Emperor," a large, well-formed, sleek-haired, bright eyed, 

 representative of his race, apparently as active and as lithesome as 

 a tiger. It was the property- of II. E. Knox. 



In the afternoon there was a trial of working-oxen, in which the 

 spectators were exceedingly interested. The drivers and the cattle 

 performed the work assigned them in a satisfactory manner. 



After the exhibition of the oxen, the Rev. A. L. Loveland, of 

 Connecticut, delivered in the Congregational Church, a sensible, 

 practical address to the farmer, his main subject, " The Soils, and 

 IIow Improved." The speaker was complimented by the ver}- close 

 attention he received. 



In the evenins: there was a gathering of the members of the 

 Society in the church, and various subjects of interest to the 

 farming community were discussed by the orator of the day, E. W. 

 Boise, Dr. Stratton, of Lee, and others. 



The second day was devoted to the exhibition of horses. At an 

 early hour the track was well filled with horses of all descriptions ; 

 work-horses, driving-horses, family-horses, and fast horses were 

 represented ; conspicuous among all was a fine dark bay stallion, 

 owned by F. C. Knox. 



The horses as well as the oxen appeared to be well ca^'ed for, and 

 it is with pleasure I am able to state that I saw no animal abused 

 while at the fair. 



