APPENDIX. iii 



the society ; because, while the same corps of officers has been 

 retained for a long period, — giving the society the benefit of expe- 

 rience in the various departments, — the rotation to the different 

 localities brings to their aid a class of fresh workers whose zeal and 

 ardor tell on the exhibition. 



Town-teams formed a striking feature of the show, and when all 

 these teams were formed in line, presented a very imposing spectacle. 



The various breeds known in the State were represented by oxen, 

 bulls, cows and young stock, which showed that Essex has not been 

 asleep while the other counties have been up and doing. One pair 

 only of Hereford oxen was on exhibition, but these fully sustained 

 the former reputation of that breed, which is now almost extinct in 

 Massachusetts. 



The show of poultiy was a great success, — 117 coops of beautiful 

 specimens, embracing almost eveiy variety of fowls known to modern 

 amateurs. 



There was a good show of sheep, and a large show of swine, of 

 veiy superior quality. 



The rainy season outside afforded a fine opportunity in the hall, 

 where was a magnificent display of fruits, vegetables and flowers, 

 which held our attention through the whole afternoon. "We embraced 

 this opportunity to examine in detail this vast collection of the 

 horticultural products of old Essex, with feelings of intense interest, 

 feeling, in some degree, compensated for the lack of opportunity to 

 examine in detail the stock outside. 



Mr. Gregory's exhibition of garden-vegetables, in such great 

 variety and perfection, was so striking, that we set him down as a 

 benefactor of the race, and entitled to the gratitude of the commu- 

 nity for his efforts to increase the variet} T and improve the quality 

 of that ever-increasing necessity of modern civilization — garden 

 vegetables. 



The ladies' department was not very fully sustained, and we con- 

 cluded that the introduction of machineiy had crowded out the old 

 sewing-needle, and the ladies of Essex had turned their attention to 

 other industries, leaving " patchwork," and its kindred, to less 

 favored portions of the Commonwealth. 



The floral department was sustained most full}-. The variety, 

 richness and beauty and profusion of the flowers, to which was 

 added the beauty of their arrangement, rendered the show very 

 attractive ; and we spent the very rainy afternoon fully impressed 

 with this thought, that if the people everywhere were as much awake 

 to the aesthetic requirements of our nature, and would make the same 

 exertion to supply that demand, as the people of Essex had done, 

 the millennium would soon be upon us. 



