288 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 



WOECESTER. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



The committee on this class of articles regret to say that they 

 have not found their duty a very onerous one. The number of 

 articles exhibited was small, and but little interest is felt in this 

 part of the exhibition. The products of the dairy and the ten- 

 ants of the pens naturally attracted the attention of the farmers 

 themselves, while the swift-footed steeds upon the turf without 

 have greater attraction for the miscellaneous visitors than the 

 show of rugs and patch-work quilts within the liall. It was the 

 general observation of strangers that the display of the manu- 

 factured productions of Worcester county industry was unfor- 

 tunately meagre. It should be remembered, however, that 

 several years since this department of the exhibition of tlie 

 agricultural society was transferred to the mechanics' associa- 

 tion, whose exhilntions have been of a most interesting charac- 

 ter. It is only within a year or two that this society, on taking 

 possession of its new and spacious building, has assigiel room 

 for the display of miscellaneous manufactured article i, and 

 placed a limited number of gratuities at the disposal of a com- 

 mittee. As, however, the exhibition of the mechanics' associ- 

 ation is held only triennially, it is worth while to consider 

 whether it would not be well to afford greater encouragement 

 for the display of articles of this class at our annual festival. 

 Certainly, the industry of our farmers' wives and daughters 

 should not pass unrecognized. This year they sat with us at 

 the social board, for the first time, and enlivened our somewhat 

 formal feast with t eir presence. It is no more than generous 

 that we should display a greater interest in the products of their 

 taste and skill. 



J. B. D. Cogswell, Chairman. 



WOECESTER NORTH. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



The usual difficulty was experienced by your committee this 

 year in examining the articles entered in their department, 



