BLOOD STOCK. 189 



by Wells Latlirop, Esq., of South Hadley. We suppose he is 

 all right on the " books," but though he is an Earl, it seems to 

 us a little strange that Mr. Lathrop should be willing to have 

 his blood mingle with that of his famous Yaricos. This may 

 be heresy however, and we forbear. 



Aside from the specimens in the several herds, which were 

 numerous and fine, the exhibition of young stock was small, and 

 nothing very noticeable came under the observation of your 

 committee. 



The same may be said of the exhibition of swine, with an 

 exception in favor of that made by Mr. Wright, of the Hospital, 

 which was large and of great excellence. His Yorkshires come 

 as near perfection perhaps as a swine's nature is capable of. 



The show of sheep was much as usual. It seems impossible 

 to get up any enthusiasm on sheep raising in Hampshire County. 

 There are a few skilful breeders within the limits of the society, 

 but as a whole we are vastly behind Franklin County, in a 

 department of husbandry acknowledged by all to be one of the 

 most profitable, if rightly managed. 



In conclusion, your committee would say, that where there 

 is so much to commend, it is quite probable that much has been 

 left unnoticed which is well worthy of mention. We can only 

 say that, in the absence of full reports by many of the committees, 

 we were obliged to content ourselves with such general facts as 

 came under our observation. 



T. G. Huntington, Chairman. 



HAMPDEN. 



Statement of A. N. Merrick. 



Herefords. — In the summer of 1862 I purchased of G. Clarke, 

 Otsego Co.,N. Y., two pure-bred Hereford yearlings, a bull and 

 heifer, and a few months later five heifers from the stock of 

 A. D. Withers, Broome Co., N. Y. I regretted the cattle were 

 not in better condition at the time of the show, but most of them 

 had just been transported a distance of over three hundred miles, 

 without food or water for four days. 



The Herefords derive their name from a county in England. 

 The following gives a very correct description of them : " The 



