124 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



been instrumental in continuing and greatly increasing the fer- 

 tility of the lovely valleys and the noble •hills which are so 

 beautifully planted throughout tlie county. An intelligent and 

 prosperous farmer remarked, that he had taken the first premi- 

 ums in nearly every class of the exhibitions, and was happy to 

 say, that he owed whatever of success and skill he had acquired 

 to the encouragements and influences of this society. The 

 condition of the farms, and the homes of the farmers, bear evi- 

 dence of the truthfulness of the remark. But, in point of 

 seniority, the " Old Berkshire " must yield the palm to Middle- 

 sex. The " Middlesex Society " was incorporated on the 28th 

 of February, 1803, by the name of the " Western Society of 

 Middlesex Husbandmen." It had existed as an unincorporated 

 association, under the same name, from the year 1794. On the 

 24th of January, 1820, it was changed by an act of the legisla- 

 ture, to that of the " Society of Middlesex Husbandmen and 

 Manufacturers," and subsequent to that time — as the manufac- 

 turers had little to do witli it — to " The Middlesex Agricultural 

 Society," which is its present title. It has now two lusty 

 daughters, one on each side of her, which bid fair soon to come 

 up to the full proportions of the mother, and perhaps, look a 

 little more dressy and important than the good old dame her- 

 self. But one agricultural society now existing within the 

 Commonwealth takes precedence of the Middlesex by virtue of 

 seniority, — " The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agricul- 

 ture," — which was incorporated in 1792, and whose members 

 were made by the act incorporating the Western Society of 

 Middlesex Husl)andmen, honorary members of that corporation, 

 and entitled to be present and vote at its meetings. 



Wednesday, the first day of the show, was pleasant ; the ele- 

 ments were propitious, the roads were good, and the tempera- 

 ture so genial as to invite even invalids abroad, — and the fair 

 opened with the most flattering prospect. The object of this 

 day was to show all kinds of animals, except horses, that were 

 to be exhibited for premiums, and all manufactured articles, 

 implements and machinery. 



The number of neat cattle was not large, or in any way re- 

 markable in appearance, and were all of the common breeds, or 

 with only a slight admixture of foreign blood. Swine were also 

 quite limited in number, and the show of poultry was not large. 



