FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 73 



Mr. Oliver of Saugus, and Joseph Harris of Chelsea. The 

 -committee award to Mr. Draper for his mud shoes, $5." 

 In the ploughing match of 1832, a premium was offered for 

 the best plough. This however requires no modification of 

 a foregoing statement, that for twenty-two years after 1818, 

 no premium for the best plough was offered. The offer 

 now made was obviously to induce competitors to use the 

 -most efficient instrument obtainable, in order to achieve, 

 for the credit of the society, and for the instruction of the 

 by-standers, the most perfect result in the way of a 

 -ploughed field. It is quite possible that there were better 

 ploughs in Agricultural Hall in 1832, than any on the field, 

 ?but they got no premium. 



The show of 1833 is described as having been of merit 

 : and attractiveness, with fewer cattle than usual in the pens. 

 Although the day was cloudy and rainy, there was a great 

 concourse of people on the grounds. The official organ of 

 the society at that time, the New England Farmer, com- 

 ments thus upon the situation, and there is no reason to 

 doubt that it is a just judgment : " The principal cause of a 

 .diminution of cattle exhibited at Brighton, may be found 

 in cattle shows of other parts of the State. Another cause 

 may be that fine animals have become so common that they 

 are scarcely considered as a rarity. Excellence ceases to 

 be remarkable when it becomes general." Another consid- 

 eration is to be kept in mind, for a proper understanding, 

 at the present time, of the decline and cessation of the 

 society's annual exhibition, which, for many years was 

 probably not exceeded, if equalled, in its magnitude and 

 quality, by any like demonstration in this country. Even 

 as late as 1835, railroads were in their veriest infancy. 

 The few then existing in Massachusetts had no proper 

 facilities, if their managers had any disposition, to under- 

 take the transportation of farm animals to and fro, nor did 

 they provide frequent conveyance for passengers. Specta- 

 tors in sufficient numbers appear to have been within call. 

 'The real difficulty was with the cattle, using the word to 



