TIMES OP HOLDING FAIRS. 277 



ment ; but, for the purpose of furnishing accurate statistics for 

 the benefit of agriculture, shall select certain of the crops, and 

 require the owners thereof to measure the land and weigh the 

 crops accurately, and give all possible information thereon over 

 their signatures, and return the same to the secretary of the 

 society, to be published in the annual transactions." 



This amendment was adopted. 



A Committee of three, consisting of Messrs. King, Fearing 

 and Sanderson, to fix and determine the time of holding the 

 Fairs of Societies, reported as follows : — 



The Union Society, at Blandford, shall begin its exhibition on 

 the Wednesday after second Thursday of September. 

 The Hingham Society on the last Tuesday of September. 

 The Marshfield on the first Thursday of October. 

 The Worcester North- West on the third Tuesday of September. 

 The other societies on the dates hitherto assigned by the Board. 



George A. King, Chairman. 



The Essay on Manure and its Application was taken from the 

 table, discussed and adopted. 



The Essays on Hedges and Farm Fences, on Night Soil, on 

 Fall and Spring Ploughing, on Fruit Culture, on Specialties in 

 Farming, and on the Hay Crop, were severally read a second time 

 and adopted. 



The Report of Mr. Cleaveland, as delegate to the Hoosac 

 Valley Society, was presented and accepted. 



Mr. Johui-on presented the following Essay, on 



IMPROVEMENT OF STOCK. 



The subject of farm stock is one of the highest importance to 

 the farmers of New England. 



To secure that degree of improvement in the cattle of this 

 section so desirable to our highest interest, and to approach 

 that state of perfection which characterizes the stock of Eng- 

 land, Scotland and Holland, this subject must more engage the 

 attention of our farmers, and the principles of close and special 

 breeding be studied with greater care, and carried with more 

 precision and persistence into practice. 



I am aware that many, and perhaps most of our farmers, do 

 not regard similarity of color, style and general appearance of 



