72 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



ment which led the trustees to take action, had been 

 the accumulation of society funds, through failure of 

 due response to premiums hitherto offered, the pay- 

 ments of premiums having mostly been for importa- 

 tions of improved breeds of sheep; that in now turning 

 its attention to the improvement of breeds of domestic 

 animals the society was following the example of 

 Europe and of the Berkshire County Society of this 

 state; that the premiums now offered amounted, in 

 most cases, to more than one-half the value of the 

 animal, and in some cases to the full value, added to 

 which inducement, was the certainty of a better sale 

 for cattle, for which premiums had been awarded; and 

 that the reason why premiums for horses had not been 

 offered was that the use of horses for agricultural work 

 was small in this country, as compared with foreign 

 lands, and the prices were already high enough to 

 encourage their breeding and improvement, "higher 

 than in any quarter of the globe with which we are 

 acquainted, where this animal is raised." 



The cattle show of 1817 excelled its predecessor in 

 many respects. The amount of premiums offered was 

 $1300, of which $500 was granted by the Legislature. 

 Three premiums instead of two were offered in the 

 classes of native cows, fat oxen and working oxen. 

 For sheep there were eight premiums ; for native bulls, 

 two; for imported bulls, two; for imported cows, two; 

 also a premium for the most wheat raised per acre; 

 the most turnips per acre ; for any superior vegetable 

 or grass; for the best threshing machine, the best seed- 

 sowing machine, the best plough, the most successful 

 use of the drill plough, and for any other agricultural 

 invention deserving a reward. Other permiums were 

 for manufactures from wool of native sheep and from 

 cotton, the classification being of factory -made and 



