86 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



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 instru- 

 ment 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, comments thus upon the situation, 

 and there is no reason to doubt that it is a just judg- 

 ment: "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 

 consideration is to be kept in mind, for a proper under- 

 standing, at the present time, of the decline and cessa- 

 tion 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 fev/ then existing in 

 Massachusetts had no proper facilities, if their man- 

 agers had any disposition, to undertake the transporta- 

 tion of farm animals to and fro, nor did they provide 

 frequent conveyance for passengers. Spectators in 

 sufficient numbers appear to have been within call. 

 The real difficulty was with the cattle, using the word 



