APPENDIX. xliii 



the Plymouth, Brockton and Abington bands. The fair, as a 

 whole, is regarded as one of this society's best. 



In closing, I must return thanks, for attentions received, to the 

 president and his estimable family ; to the secretarj', Mr. Keith ; to 

 my very obliging guide, Mr. James C. Leach, and other members 

 of the society. May the ever-vigilant ex-president long live to 

 cooperate, as he desired to do, with his colaborers and the society, 

 with its new and talented head, press on to yet greater strength and 



to a still higher eminence. 



H. Vincent. 



MARSHFIELD. 



The pleasant duty of attending the eighth annual fair, held in 

 Marshfield, October 7, 8 and 9, fell to me, and I submit a brief 

 report. 



It will not be necessary to describe the place or its people. It 

 appeared to be a small, quiet town, hardly large enough to hold a 

 first-class agricultural fair. I had been upon the grounds but a 

 short time, however, when 1113' doubts and fears were all removed ; for, 

 where we find such perfect harmony among all the officers and mem- 

 bers, and such kind, cordial cooperation of the ladies, with such a 

 live band of music, who played as though some part of the success 

 depended upon them, I could see at once that all were alive, and 

 that at the Marshfield fair there would be no such thing as a 

 failure. 



The grounds and buildings are situated near the centre of the 

 village ; are both pleasant and well adapted for the use of the 

 society. The members must, however, see the need of sheds and 

 covering for the stock, and I presume as soon as their finances will 

 admit, they will be forthcoming, and placed upon the ground, both 

 for their own as well as for the benefit and comfort of their stock. 



The exhibition of neat-stock was not large, — hardly equal to my 

 expectations. Perhaps coming, as I did, from a society that makes 

 this department a specialty, I was expecting too much. There 

 were some good fat oxen, and 18 entries of working-oxen. The 

 competition in this class was sharp and interesting, showing that 

 both drivers and teams understood their business. Conspicuous 

 among this number were two fine yoke, owned b}- David Whiton, 

 of Hingham, 5 and G years old, weighing 4,500 and 4,200 pounds. 

 The Jerseys appeared to take the lead, both in number and quality. 

 There were other full-bloods, and fine-looking animals, showing that 



