xxxvi REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



BRISTOL. 



The dut}" of attending and reporting on the fifty-second exhibition 

 of the Bristol County Fair was assigned to me by the Board of 

 Agriculture. The fair was holden at the agricultural grounds in the 

 city of Taunton, on the 29th and 30th of September and on the 

 first day of October last. The weather, although not so delightful 

 for an agricultural fair as could be desired, was more pleasant than 

 the average, and decidedh' more desirable than fell to the lot of 

 many other societies at their annual meetings this year. 



The morning of the second da}' was obscured by clouds, to the 

 great anno3'ance of many who were eagerl}' watching for a glimpse 

 of the sun, but it was discernible onlj^ through the smallest rifts in 

 the clouds. 



There was a smaller number of entries for ploughing with oxen 

 than usual, but there were eighteen entries in ploughing with spans 

 of horses. Your delegate was not on the grounds, and so cannot 

 speak of the comparative merits of each contestant, but from the 

 appearance of the land after it was ploughed the conclusion was 

 reached that the ploughmen were not novices, and the teams were 

 able-bodied. 



After the ploughing-match came the exhibition of family-horses 

 on the track. A number of animals were on the grounds doing 

 credit to themselves, their owners, and the county, and premiums 

 were awarded, according to their merits, by the committees. 



Next came the procession of town teams, — 17 3'oke of oxen 

 from Raynham, 15 from Rehoboth, ten from Norton, — and they 

 marched around the track, preceded b}' the Providence Band, " keep- 

 ing step to the music of the Union," under the 3'oke, and in chains. 



In the afternoon came on the trial of gentlemen's horses. Sub- 

 sequently, the draught-horses were subjected to their trials, and 

 finall}' was inaugurated for the day trotting by the four-j-ear-old 

 colts of the count}'. These several classes had their day and gen- 

 eration for an hour, were subjected to their trials, enjoyed the 

 plaudits of the admiring crowds, and passed from their distinguished 

 positions to mingle again on a common level with the less favored 

 members of the bovine and equine races. 



The races were exciting, and the trotting fair would not have 

 been regarded as slow by the sporting communit}'. 



The horse is a noble as well as a useful animal to man. Every 

 one enjoys a sharply-contested trial of speed between horses equally 

 matched, squarel}^ trotted and fairly driven ; but the jockey who 

 whips, runs, pulls and scores his steed for the sake of gaining some 



