206 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to state that the number of exhibitors in this particular depart- 

 ment was two hundred and seventy-three, and that there were 

 no less than five thousand and ninety-four entries ; that the 

 money-value on the priced entries alone was 8422,640 ; and 

 that the total value of the goods exhibited was about half a 

 million of dollars. One exhibitor had on the ground imple- 

 ments worth $24,550. 



No premiums were offered. None were required to bring out 

 this magnificent show. In my enthusiasm, on the first day of 

 entering the grounds, I bought an implement-catalogue, as a 

 preliminary step, but the size of it was such as to be not a little 

 burdensome, especially as it was necessary to transport it back 

 and forth night and morning. 



In this vast mass of entries it is impossible, of course, to 

 particularize at any length. 



The general impression created on the mind of an American, 

 after looking somewhat carefully through the yard, would be 

 that great strength and durability formed the most prominent 

 characteristic of all English agricultural implements. They 

 appear to bo made as if the farmer were able to keep a strong 

 team, and had nothing else to do with it but work these hetvy 

 tools. No allowance is made for the probability of producing 

 any thing better, so that the farmer might want to change. 

 Under similar circumstances, I am sure the English plough 

 does no better work, ordinarily, than the American, while it 

 requires a far stronger team ; and so with most other imple- 

 ments. They are what would be called clumsy by a New 

 England farmer. I speak, of course, generally. There are, 

 no doubt, exceptions, *as there are to all general rules. I 

 stepped into a large 'and well-filled stall of forks, rakes, &c., 

 the smaller implements. Close alongside was a large exhibi- 

 tion of American forks, not got up for tlic exhibition, but sent 

 in by a house that sells American farming implements on com- 

 mission. The comparison, of course, was easy, as they were 

 both together, alongside, under an open shed. We asked the 

 very intelligent attendant of the stall of English implements 

 whether he thought his forks equal to the others. " No," he 

 said ; " for some reason or other our manufacturers not only 

 cannpt make a fork equal to tlie American, but they cannot 

 imitate tlic American. They saw your forks here, ])y the side 



