vi REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



MIDDLESEX SOUTH. 



The twenty-first annual cattle-show and fair of the Middlesex 

 South Agricultural Society was held on Tuesday and Wednesday, 

 September 22d and 23d, to which I was assigned as delegate by 

 this Board. 



The weather was favorable, and in every respect all that could be 

 desired. 



Tuesday forenoon was taken up in arranging the articles for 

 exhibition, which was admirably clone under the direction of the 

 superintendent. The display of fruit and flowers was veiy large 

 and fine ; the orchards and gardens had yielded abundantl}'. 



Noticeable, among other things, was a fine display of blackberries, 

 raised in Saxonville. 



Pears, apples, and grapes of a very fine quality, were exhibited in 

 abundance. 



The display of vegetables was good, and creditable to the exhib- 

 itors, — consisting of potatoes, cabbages, beets, onions, tomatoes, etc. 



The show of cereals was small. 



The ladies' department was conspicuous for the excellent display 

 of bread, butter, cake, jellies, etc. There was in the hall quite a 

 display of fine specimens of needle-work. 



The afternoon of Tuesday was chiefly occupied in the exhibition 

 of horses, or, in other words, horse-trotting. 



The attendance on the second da} T , especially in the afternoon, 

 was large, and everything seemed to be on the move. The plough-' 

 ing-match, at nine o'clock, was well attended and interesting. I 

 think that I never witnessed better work at a ploughing-match, and 

 I saw nothing more attractive, with the exception of the trial of 

 speed with horses, in the afternoon. I may here be permitted to say, 

 that I think that, in some of our societies, the ploughing-match is 

 not thought so much of as it should be. 



The show of horses and colts, in the forenoon of the second day, 

 was veiy fair. There were also some good specimens of milch cows 

 and young stock, of the most approved breeds. Considering the 

 location and the number of fine herds within the limits of the 

 society, the show of neat-stock was far below what we had good 

 reason to expect. As I have said, there were some good specimens of 

 Ayrshires, Shorthorns. Dutch, Jerseys, etc., — but meagre in numbers. 



The show of swine embraced some fine specimens, although the 

 number was small. 



The poultry department was very full, and the display of choice 

 breeds was quite large. 



