A B S T R A C T. 



MASS. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 



The Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for 

 Promoting Agriculture, being required to present through their 

 President and Secretary such abstracts from their records, as in 

 their opinion shall most contribute to the instruction or interest 

 of the farmers, beg leave to state as follows. 



During the past year an experiment has been brought to a 

 close, so far as this Society is concerned, which has absorbed 

 its income for several years past. The Ayrshire and Devon 

 cattle imported and purchased by the Trustees of this Society, 

 have been all disposed of. 



The greater portion has been distributed to the several county 

 societies, and the remainder, with the exception of one pair of 

 Ayrshire cattle, sold at the best prices which could be procured 

 under such restrictions, as seemed most likely to insure to the 

 Commonwealth the benefits which might result from the intro- 

 duction of cattle of highly approved races, and selected with all 

 possible care. The remaining pair of Ayrshire cattle has been 

 presented to the State Reform School, from a desire to promote 

 one of the leading objects for which that institution was estab- 

 lished, as well as to show the sense entertained by this board, 

 of the constant liberality manifested by the Government of the 

 Commonwealth towards this, and the other agricultural associ- 

 ations. In every case when cattle have been distributed to a 

 county society, this board has stipulated for periodical reports 

 in return, in relation to the condition of the cattle, but have re- 

 ceived such reports only from the counties of Berkshire, Bris- 

 tol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Essex and Worcester. 

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