FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 59 



ready sale, if offered, at the contiguous market, and that 

 the hotel accommodations were ample. 



The exhibition of 1816 comprised only neat cattle, sheep 

 and swine, first and second premiums being offered in each 

 classification, the total of premiums being $290. The cattle 

 pens were ranged along the south side of the main road, 

 now called Washington street, opposite to the Cattle Fair 

 hotel site of modern times, and within the enclosure then 

 called Winship's pasture. Nearly one hundred animals 

 were in the collection, of a quality, as a whole, very satis- 

 factory to the trustees, who expressed opinion, in their re- 

 port, that the show would have been regarded creditable at 

 Smithfield, Lewes or Bath in England. The exhibit of 

 Merino sheep was of especial merit ; but the marked tri- 

 umph of the day was a milch cow, belonging to Caleb 

 Oakes of Danvers, and for which the first premium was 

 awarded. This animal had yielded, in twenty weeks, milk 

 for making 320 pounds of butter, and when milked upon 

 the field, at Brighton, the yield was nine quarts. Opinion 

 was generally expressed that the cow was unrivalled in 

 America or Europe. The society had a portrait of the 

 animal painted by a celebrated artist.* 



The day was pleasant and the throng of spectators very 

 large. Among the guests were the Governor of the State, 

 Gen. Humphreys, president of the Connecticut Agricultural 

 Society, Commodore Bainbridge of the United States navy, 

 and Admiral Coffin of the British navy. It had been in- 

 tended that the public exercises should take place in the 

 Town Hall, but this proved too small for the eager audience, 

 and an adjournment to the Brighton meeting house was 

 made. This building is still standing at the corner of 

 Washington and Market streets. In these exercises were 

 comprised an address by President Dexter, of the society, 

 and the reading of a report by Secretary Lowell. During 

 the day the society and guests dined at Hastings' tavern, 



*The whereabouts of the portrait is at present unknown to the present 

 trustees, who ask for information that will enable them to find it. 



