WORCESTER NORTH-WEST. xiii 



The second day of the fair was the Horse Day ; and, as is 

 customar}', a much larger crowd of people assembled upon the 

 grounds than on the day previous. In addition to the fact of its 

 being the Horse Daj', it was announced that the president of the 

 societ}-, Mr. Jerome Jones, would be in attendance, with a large 

 number of distinguished men from Boston as invited guests. 

 This, no doubt, attracted many that would not otherwise have 

 come. Among the distinguished guests of the society was the 

 Hon. W. A. Simmons, collector of the port of Boston ; Hon. 

 Stephen N. Stock well of "The Boston Journal;" and John C. 

 Wyman, Esq. , of New York ; all of whom added pleasm-e as weU 

 as profit to the occasion. 



The third day of the fair was a Benefit Day, and everybody 

 was expected to pay an admission-fee. The show was what one 

 might call a " variet}" entertainment : " the programme was made 

 up to suit every one of the vast multitude. There was to be base- 

 ball placing, horse-trotting, man-running ; and, last but not least, 

 the whole affair closed with the band tournament, in which five 

 bauds competed for the prizes ; Leominster Band recei\ing the first 

 prize, the Fitchburg, second, and Gardner, third. Your delegate 

 saw nothing during the fair of an unlawful character. 



This society has a debt of about eight thousand dollars hanging 

 over it; and this, no doubt, stimulates the officers and members 

 to great exertions each year to cancel some portion of its indebt- 

 edness ; and this 3'ear, I am happy to say, was not an exception to 

 the rule, they having reduced the debt over a thousand dollars. 



I trust it will be interesting to the members of this Board to 

 know the amount of money awarded by this society in the different 

 departments at their exhibition. The amount offered, awarded, 

 and actually paid out, for farm improvements, was onl^^ twenty- 

 four dollars, thus showing that the farms are either in a high state 

 of cultivation, or little interest is manifested in this department. 

 The amount awarded for farm stock was five hundi'cd and twenty- 

 five dollars, and for farm products over a hundred dollars. The 

 amount awarded for agricultural implements was twelve dollars, — 

 a sum far too large, ccmsidering the implements shown. The 

 amount awarded for trotting-horses was six hundred and forty 

 dollars, a large share of which was received as entrance-money ; 

 and $422.50 was awarded for mechanical inventions, domestic 

 manufactures, &c., swelling the amount of money awarded to 

 nearly eighteen hundred dollars for premiums and gratuities at 

 this fair. This is a large amount ; and the question comes to 

 many, " Does it pa}"? " I answer, " Yes ; " and I believe every 

 one connected with the Worcester North-west Agi-icultural and 



