APPENDIX. xxix 



ised to educate our sons that they might be farmei'S. Hon. Mr. Eliot 

 spoke of the dark past and the bright future. Dr. Loring spoke of the 

 rapid progress of agriculture. As an illustration, he told us that when 

 the prophet Elisha was called to the Lord he was found ploughing with 

 twelve yoke of oxen. " No wonder," he said, " that he quit forming and 

 Avent to prophesying, if it took twelve yoke of oxen to draw the ploughs 

 of those days." 



In general terms, I can state that progress is the motto here. Where 

 squashes are produced that weigh 175 pounds; where hogs weigh 1,000 

 and steers 5,300 ; where 120 yoke of oxen are upon the grounds at once ; 

 where the Devon, Ayrshire, Shorthorn and Jerseys are taking the place 

 of the sharp, thin, slab-sided cattle of other days ; where horses want 

 only two minutes and twenty-six seconds to trot a mile ; where from 

 two to four thousand people assemble daily ; where such men as Nathan 

 Durfee are elected for president ; where Bullock, Clark, Eliot and 

 Loring come to visit the exhibition and address a fitting assembly, I 

 may as well state such an exhibition was a success, and its officers and 

 members may be proud of what they have already accomplished. 



In closing I wish to express my thanks to families whose generous 

 hospitality your delegate enjoyed. 



M. F. Watkins. 



PLYMOUTH. 



As delegate from the Board of Agriculture, I attended the annual 

 exhibition of the Plymouth County Agricultural Society, held at 

 Bridgewater, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 26, 27 and 

 28. I was present on the morning of the first day, and remained till 

 the afternoon of the second. 



This society have very ample accommodations for holding their fairs, 

 having a lot of land containing nearly seventy acres, with a spacious 

 hall upon an elevated portion of the inclosure, which overlooks almost 

 the entire grounds. The hall is two stories high. The lower one is 

 used for the exhibition of the products of the farm and garden ; also 

 the handiwork of the ladies, the skill of the mechanic and manufacturer. 

 The display of butter and single dairy cheese Avas very fine. The rich, 

 golden butter I tiiink was as handsome as I ever saw. 



There was a very large display of bread, — showing the skill of 

 the ladies, and the interest they take in this part of the exhibition, 

 which is very commendable. Without good bread and butter for our 

 tables, other food would seem hardly palatable. The display of fruit 

 was not large ; but judging from the looks, the quality must have been 



