SECRETARY'S REPORT. 395 



HAMPDEN EAST AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The annual exhibition of this society was held at Palmer, 

 on the 14th and 15th of October, at the Trotting Park, near 

 tlie village. The attendance was highly respectable ; and the 

 arrangement of the show on both days indicated a determina- 

 tion, on the part of the officers of the society, to place their 

 association upon a firm foundation, and to make it, in enterprise 

 and usefulness, second to none in Massachusetts. 



On the first day the show of cattle, sheep, and swine, was 

 large and interesting. There were few grade Short-horns, but 

 what were exhibited were large and in fine condition. The 

 predominant feature of the collection of cattle was the large 

 number of animals indicating strong Devon blood. A herd 

 belonging to D. B. Merrick, of Wilbraham, contained some 

 remarkably fine animals. The bull " Kossuth " has great 

 merit ; and we have seldom seen so large a number of this 

 breed in one herd maintaining so high an order of excellence. 



The quality of the cows exhibited indicated great care and 

 skill in selection and breeding. It is evident that the farmers 

 of this society understand the value of the dairy, and have 

 made great efforts to improve their stock for this purpose. The 

 presence of many bulls, having Ayrshire, Devon, Hereford, and 

 Short-horn blood, indicated the attention and zeal with which 

 this branch of farming is pursued. If the object in feeding the 

 pastures of this section is the production of beef, the compact 

 form and superior condition of the Devons presented a strong 

 argument in fhoir favor. Dut it would have been gratifying to 

 have seen a large and uniform collection of medium sized dairy 

 cows, bearing the marks of some hardy dairy breed. There is 

 much fine grazing land in this region, admirably adapted to 

 such anirnals. 



Of sheep the show was extremely creditable. Prominent 

 among them was an Oxfordshire buck, belonging to A. N. 

 Merrick, of Brimfield. This animal possesses many attractions 

 to ^hose who would breed mutton sheep. The remaining 

 animals were a mixture of the several varieties of coarse-woolled 

 sheep, and they presented the usual appearance seen through- 

 out most of New England. 



