38 



DISCRETION ABY. 



Pair Geese, S. Dellert, Great Barrington. $1 



Pair Geese, James Bradley, Lee, 1 



Pair Grade Ducks, James Bradley, Lee, 1 



Guinea Chicks, Mrs. E. J. Beebe, Alford, 1 



Guinea Chicks, Adelbert Dings, Alford, 1 



Guinea Chicks, J. P. Ballard, Alford, 50c 

 Committee. — Henry D. Hyde, W. C. French, Pratt L. Tobey. 



ORCHARDS. 



Whole number of entries 1. 

 For Pear Orchard of Dr. C. E. Heath, Lee, set in spring of 1882, $10 



Committee. — Levi Boardman, Jared Bradley. 



RECLAIMED LAND. 



Whole number of entries 3. 

 First premium, M. S. Heath, Stockbridge, . $10 



2d do., Eli Martin, Great Barrington, 8 



3d do., F. A. Burghardt, Great Barrington, land entered by F. Hollenbeck, 6 

 Committee. — Abner Roys, L. P. Keyes, 



REPORT ON REPORTS, 



To Committee on Fall Crops the 1st premium, $8 



To Committee on Summer Crops the 2d premium, 6 



To Committee on Crochet and Knit Work the 3d premium, 4 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



The forty-third annual exhibition of the Housatonic Agricultural Society 

 was the largest and one of the most successful ever held by the society. The 

 show of cattle, especially of thoroughbreds, was not only larger in number but 

 superior in quality, to any former exhibition. Improvement was also shown in 

 the various breeds of sheep and swine, while the poultry exhibit was so far be- 

 yond that of former years that many extra coops had to be provided to accom- 

 modate the extra demand. The exhibition of horses was good, but did not 

 show any marked improvement. The trials of speed of trotting horses with 

 some exceptions, were not attended with any great degree of interest. This 

 was partly owing to the scarcity of trotters in the neighboring towns, but chiefly 

 to the small premiums offered in this department. In the hall the display of 

 useful and fancy articles, of paintings, fruits and flowers was superb and com- 

 plete, the fancy work, embroidery and painting being far ahead of any previous 

 exhibit, in point of workmanship, taste and beauty ; in fine the hall seemed full 

 of beautifnl articles. In the lower hall the exhibition of seeds and vegetables 

 was remarkably good, and there was a display of agricultural implements, 

 many of which were shown on the lawns. Several merchants made fine displays 

 of their goods in the galleries and lower hall. 



Although the first day proved to be a pleasant one, the morning seemed 

 threatening, and no doubt kept back two or three thousand people from attend- 

 ing, but there were probably nine thousand persons present. In addition to the 

 usual programme for the first day there was a two mile bicycle race with prem- 

 iums of $15 and $10, followed by a five mile race for premiums of $20 and $12, 



