HAMPDEN EAST. xxxi 



an excellent dinner got np by the soeiet}'. The second day of 

 this fair was devoted to the exhibition of horses, of which there 

 was a very good show, consisting of stallions, brood-mares with 

 their foals, one, two, and three year old colts, and gentlemen's 

 driving-horses, with the inevitable horse-trot in the afternoon. 



The third and last day was princii^ally devoted to trotting, and 

 an address by Rev. Washington Gladden, which closed the exer- 

 cises of this fair. 



This society is comparatively out of debt, seems to be doing a 

 very good work, is well officered, with a good degree of interest in 

 the welfare of the society. 



Nathaniel Upham. 



HAIilPDEN EAST. 



The Quarter Centennial Exhibition of this society took place 

 on the society's grounds, at Palmer, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 

 Sept. 18 and 19, and was generally said to be one of the best 

 exhibitions held for many years, especially for cattle, of which 

 grade Durhams predominated. A new variety of field-corn, 

 called " Compton's Early," grown by Mr. J. K. Knox, was 

 shown. Much is claimed for this corn, both for early maturity 

 and great yield ; one hundred and eightj'-one bushels to the acre 

 having been ripened in seventy-six days after planting. The seed 

 can be obtained, it is said, of Mr. James J. H. Gregory of Mar- 

 blehead. 



Mr. A. R. Maxwell of Monson exhibited a hundred and forty 

 varieties of vegetables ; and the State Primary School was a large 

 contributor of vegetables, flowers, cattle, sheep, swine — and boys 

 and girls. 



Notwithstanding the comparative prosperity of this society, we 

 could not help feeling, that, as a rule, we have too many small local 

 societies, and that here, as elsewhere, union is strength. To us 

 the advantages of one strong central society more than balance 

 the disadvantages of longer distances from the place of exhibi- 

 tion, — the chief argument for local associations. We can but 

 think that three societies in Berkshire, eight in the river counties, 

 six in Worcester, three in Plymouth, and two in Bristol, are more 

 than the best interests of agriculture require. We may not be en- 

 tirel}- orthodox in this respect ; but the present financial condition 

 of some of our numerous societies furnishes a striking contrast to 

 the one society of the whole County of Essex, which has to-day a 



