132 BOAUD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tions, Tvliich did credit to their kecpcra. There were none of 

 eutire purity of any one blood. 



From the swine I passed to the sheep, among which vere 

 the French and Spanish Merinos and Silcsian; they appeared 

 finely, and -did not belong to that clas^ of which there is " a 

 great cry and little wool." 



The Avorking oxen, twenty-five pairs from South Hadley, 

 and about as many more from Hadloy, with many single pairs, 

 attracted especial attention. Tlicy were mostly of the common 

 breed, were of fine size and form, and, I believe, could not be ex- 

 celled by an equal number of any particular breed in the country ; 

 and when I afterward saw their skill and power when hitched 

 to the cart and plough, I felt confirmed in the opinion, formed 

 while standing by their side in the morning, that they cannot 

 be excelled by any other breed for actual service on the road 

 or fann. Whether they can be, as intended for the shambles^ 

 I was not so clear- 

 In the department of fat cattle, I have seen nothing at any 

 of the shows this autumn to compare favorably with those ex- 

 hibited at Nortliampton. They were numerous and of the 

 highest order. One pair, exhibited by Moses Stebbins, of 

 Deei'field, weighed 4,300 pounds. A pair from Hatfield, pre- 

 sented by IMr. Billings, weighed 5,000 pounds. Edmund Smith, 

 of South Hadley, presented a pair of steers, two years and nine 

 months old, that weighed 3,070 pounds. The oxen by Mr. 

 Stebbins were of the Devon blood, and the steers by Mr. Smith, 

 of the Short-horn. A pair of four-year old oxen weighing 

 4,380 pounds, which were very fine, were presented by Cephas 

 May, of Conway. 



Some excellent milch cows were on the ground, thougli there 

 were not many in all, presented. One, owned by Jotham A. 

 Clark, had produced fifteen pounds and one ounce of butter in 

 seven days, with only the common pasture feed. She was bred 

 by the president of the society, the Hon. Paoli Lathrop, from 

 his famous stock of Short-horns. 



Among the young cattle I noticed marks of the Hereford, 

 Short-horn, Devon, and Ayrshire blood, mingled with our 

 native. I was particularly pleased with a very fine Short-horn 

 heifer, the property of Mr. Lathrop, and another, one year and 



