FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE 79 



raising." Within this building, annually, to 1835 

 (including that year, but excepting 1831 and 1834), 

 were displayed those various farm, household and 

 factory products, which contribute to make up the 

 typical agricultural exhibition. In front of it each 

 year, on the chief festival day, the members of the 

 society and guests were formed by the society's four 

 marshals, in procession, and moved down the broad 

 avenue to the main street and to the meeting house, 

 keeping step to the martial notes of drums, fifes, 

 clarinets and cymbals. In the meeting house the 

 annual address and other public exercises took place. 

 For some years after the first occupancy of the hall 

 the cattle pens were aligned as in 1816 and 1817 along 

 the roadside, but latterly the southerly slope beyond 

 the crown of the hill, and south of the hall, was set 

 apart for the purpose. There the sight-seeing throngs 

 stood and gazed in pleasant October days upon the 

 assembled herds and flocks, or, becoming weary of 

 that, and of the curiosities arrayed in Agricultural 

 Hall, strolled about the "beautiful and elevated 

 grounds," and viewed the "extensive prospect." 

 Agricultural Hall was removed, after the sale of the 

 society's land in 1844, to the easterly corner of Chest- 

 nut Hill avenue and Washington street, where it still 

 stands, substantially unchanged, and is used as a store. 

 The exhibition of 1818 comprised a much larger 

 number of animals than either of its predecessors, and 

 was superior also in respect to their average quality. 

 The attendance of spectators was equal or greater. 

 At the society's dinner 200 persons sat at the table. 

 The lower story of the agricultural building was used 

 for exhibiting farming machinery and implements and 

 mammoth vegetables; the upper story for manufac- 

 tured textiles and other light goods. The successive 



