FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE 75 



Furnald's factory. The skin was removed, and before 

 eleven A. M. had been properly limed, cleansed and 

 tanned. Before one P. M. it had been wrought into 

 black morocco leather, and by 2.30 P. M. the pair of 

 shoes was finished and Mr. Furnald started with them 

 for the Brighton show grounds. 



With reference to the exhibits of superior animals, 

 the official report makes the following remarks which 

 are historically instructive, in showing the facts of 

 that day as to breeding: 



It is to be desired that our citizens and the world 

 should know that there exists no description of domes- 

 tic animal of which Massachusetts cannot produce a 

 specimen equal, if not superior, to any in the most 

 cultivated regions of Europe; but the general state of 

 the breeds of our animals is far inferior to those of 

 some countries. Our whole State cannot produce as 

 many fine cattle as are exhibited in one week, at 

 Smithfield market, on ordinary days. Yet, in instances, 

 we have the best. The milch cow of Mr. Oakes, which 

 took the premium last year is probably, in point of 

 productiveness, superior to any animal in the world. 

 The oxen offered this year from Springfield, and the 

 heifer from Westbrook, it is believed, are superior to 

 any animals of the like description existing anywhere. 



With reference to the ploughing match the same 

 report says: 



We have before us accounts of five celebrated 

 ploughing matches in England, the showing of which 

 is that the labor was performed by every one, even 

 the slowest, of our ploughs in nearly one half the time 

 taken to perform the same work in England. There 

 was another circumstance in the ploughing match 



