FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 69 



Marblehead, namely, seines and herring nets of cotton 

 twine, which were preferred by the fishermen of Marble- 

 head to those of hemp, whether of American or foreign 

 manufacture. A premium of $10 was awarded. The 

 superiority of the progeny of various animals of choice 

 foreign breeds now exhibited was officially noted. 



In 1822 persons were present from all the New England 

 states and some of the southern states. In 1823 a Sicilian 

 squash three feet long, raised aj. Brookline, from foreign 

 seed, was shown ; also ears of corn 14 inches long, raised 

 in Roxbury, from seed obtained in Missouri; also large 

 onions from Tripoli seed ; also elderberry wine, of which 

 the official report remarks that " it is reputed to be very 

 wholesome," seeming to signify that it was a new thing, 

 or at least not familiarly known. In 1824 a pair of fat 

 oxen from Shrewsbury, weighing 5000 pounds, were in 

 the exhibition ; also a mule. In 1825 a plough was exhib- 

 ited with a " self-sharpening point," the sharpening being 

 effected by reversing the piece when it became worn. The 

 official report of it says, " Your committee had no evidence 

 of the instrument's having been used and approved by 

 practical farmers, and therefore do not deem it within 

 their authority to grant a premium." In 1826 a satis- 

 factory threshing machine was exhibited, which, with 

 horse-power, in seven hours, would thresh 203 bushels of 

 oats. In the official report the trustees renew their decla- 

 ration in favor of cast-iron ploughs, and say that although 

 they cost more at first they are cheaper in the end. In 

 1827 one of the committee on milch cows was u Thomas 

 Williams of Noddle's Island," a localization which sounds 

 queer now, but did not then. In 1828 the official report 

 speaks with congratulation upon the fact that of 12 

 ploughs, in the single-yoke ploughing match, 10 were of 

 cast-iron, and that in the double yoke match six of the 

 nine ploughs were cast-iron. In another official report of 

 this year something of protest appears as to a proposed 

 repeal of the law, by which the society had an annual 



