76 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



dinner was given at the Bull's Head tavern, adding about 

 1,000 feet length to the route of procession. The charge 

 for dinner tickets was sometimes $1.25 and sometimes 

 11.50, each. Probably the table was more abundantly 

 spread on these high-priced days. Among the society's 

 dusty files may be found a manuscript, which evidently 

 served as a standard or model for preparing, annually, a 

 written bill of fare as copy for printing, and also for making 

 a draft of a contract with the caterer. The list of viands, as 

 thus displayed., may prove interesting to those having in 

 charge similar entertainments at this period, and to others 

 who may like to be put in a way to judge whether the same 

 -advance has been made in this, as in other departments, of 

 agricultural activity. It is as follows : 



Bill of fare for the dinner at the Cattle Show of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture : 



Legs of mutton, boiled. Chickens, boiled. 



" roasted. " roasted. 



Beef, roasted. Turkeys, boiled. 



" a la mode. roasted. 



Pigs roasted. Geese, roasted. 



Hams. Ducks, roasted. 



Oyster Sauce. 



Cranberry sauce. Jelly. Celery. 



Pies. Puddings. Tarts. Custards. 



Madeira wine Cider. 

 Melons, musk and water. Apples. Pears. Grapes. Peaches. 



Below this memorandum, on the same sheet of old 

 manuscript, is the following : 



Memorandum of an agreement made between of 



Brighton, of the one part, and the trustees of the Massa- 

 chusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, on the other 

 part : 



The said agrees to prepare and provide for the 



said society at their annual cattle show on the inst. an 



excellent dinner, agreeable to the above recited bill of fare, 

 ,at the price of one dollar and fifty cents for each person, 

 and to furnish fifty bottles of Madeira for every hundred 

 guests, and in that proportion for as many persons as may 

 be present ; and that the wine shall be of a quality equal, 



