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too large, and it would be advisable to form a society expressly 

 for the county of Franklin. In order to a county society's 

 receiving the patronage of the State, the county must contain 

 at least 25,000 inhabitants, and the population of Franklin 

 county now exceeds this number. In this case, it might be 

 advisable to attach several of the towns in the north-western 

 part of Worcester county to this association, to whom, for 

 these purposes, it would be more easy to reach the centre of 

 Franklin than of Worcester or Hampshire county. 



An Agricultural society established in this county, and con- 

 ducted with spirit and intelligence, would be productive of the 

 highest benefits. The county is to some extent engaged in the 

 rearing of cattle and sheep. The farmers are largely interested 

 in the fatting of beef animals. The exhibition of the best 

 specimens of animals of every kind, and the comparisons to 

 which this exhibition would lead, would kindle a strong com- 

 petition and result in immediate and general improvement. — 

 Franklin county is likewise to a considerable degree engaged in 

 cultivation. The exhibition of the best products of her soil in 

 grain, vegetables and fruits, would powerfully stimulate compe- 

 tition. Besides this, a committee of a county society, with 

 power to award liberal premiums, who should go through the 

 county twice a year to inspect such crops and farms as might 

 come under their observation, would stir up inquiry and obser- 

 vation, and create an ambition of agricultural excellence and im- 

 provement, in the highest degree conducive to the enhancing 

 the value of property and the general prosperity of the county. 

 Agricultural associations have been formed in some of the towns 

 for mutual inquiry and information, and for the establishment 

 of social and circulating libraries, embracing chiefly books of an 

 agricultural character. These associations promise essential ben- 

 efit ; and if, in the meantime, while there is no general agricul- 

 tural show in the county, the inhabitants in some of the princi- 

 pal towns would bring out on some fixed day once a year, their 

 best cows, oxen, sheep and swine for exhibition in their own 

 towns ; and the best products of their gardens and fields ; and 

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