136 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



a coloring, in proportion to the fervor of his feelings ; and 

 hence there may exist a discrepancy between tlie report of the 

 local secretary and the visiting delegate from this Board. 



Not having yet seen the first passing notice of the circnm- 

 stances attending this occasion, I must refer to the more full 

 and explicit report of the efficient secretary of the society for 

 those details which were not observed by your delegate ; but, 

 trusting to the hasty memorandum made at that time, and the 

 impressions still living in the memory, the exhibition was made 

 under favorable auspices for the society. For the first time, the 

 exhibition was to occupy two days, but unfortunately, as w© 

 thought, the distinct portions of it were too far separated to 

 render them a perfect whole. 



The show of cattle was directly in front of the railroad sta- 

 tion ; the ploughing match a fourth of a mile south, in roar of 

 the custom liouse, with the exhibition of vegetables at Union 

 Hall, and of domestic fabrics, fruits, et cetera, at the Court 

 House. Under these disparaging circumstances the arduous 

 duties of the officers were unusually increased and rendered 

 more onerous. These difficulties were appreciated, and the dis- 

 position to avoid them in future was manifested at a meeting 

 of the society on the afternoon of the first day, by an unani- 

 mous vote to purchase a suitable piece of ground for tlie use of 

 the society, and a liberal sum was authorized to enable the 

 Committee, at this time appointed, to execute the wishes of the 

 society. 



It now remains to recognize some of the leading features of 

 the day. These commenced with the ploughing match at nine 

 o'clock, A. M. The contest was entered by six competitors,-^five 

 with oxen and one with horses, each single teams. The lot 

 selected was a rolling surface, with a stubborn, gravelly soil, 

 and descending from two sides to the verge of a swamp, and 

 furnished a favorable opportunity to test tlie skill of tlio plough- 

 man in turning his furrows to the up-hill side of his lot. This 

 difficulty was manfully met, and the execution of tlie work, 

 under these circumstances, was decidedly good. The ploughs 

 under trial, were the subsoil, with horses, the Michigan, Eagle, 

 deep tiller, centre draft, and common colter, with oxen. Three 

 of the ploughs reached the depth of from nine to twelve inches, 



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