8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



the sales of the several manufacturing industries of Worcester 

 amounted to about $40,000,000 the past year. 



Worcester leads as an agricultural city also. There are 

 23,040 acres of land in the city, and of these 18,249 are 

 devoted to agriculture. This land is divided into 349 farms, 

 and, according to the census of 1885, the products of these 

 farms were valued at $620,756. Market gardening is carried 

 on to a considerable extent, and is on the increase, as the 

 growth of the city creates a greater demand ; but the chief 

 source of income is' from the dairy. No cheese is manu- 

 factured, and but little butter. Most of the milk is sent 

 direct from the dairy to the city, and there delivered to 

 families ; but a considerable amount is sold at wholesale. 

 The standard price of milk at retail is six cents per quart 

 during the winter months, and five cents during the summer. 

 Stock raising is carried on only to a very limited extent, 

 farmers preferring to supply their dairies by purchasing 

 cows. By the census from which I have already quoted, 

 the value of the dairy products produced was $209,336; 

 hay, $148,061 ; vegetables, $74,374 ; fruit, $29,314; poultry 

 and eggs, $20,990. 



The Worcester Agricultural Society, one of the oldest in 

 the State, and for many years the only agricultural society 

 in the county, was incorporated Feb. 23, 1818, having for 

 its object the promotion of agriculture. The first president 

 was the late Levi Lincoln, and the first vice-president tho 

 late Daniel Waldo. The first exhibition was held in October, 

 1818, on the open space where the city hall now stands. 

 The exhibitions were held in the same place until 1852, 

 when the society departed from its customary order of 

 holding cattle-shows on public grounds, and purchased land 

 for the purpose. The first parcel purchased contained six 

 and one-half acres, and cost the society $2,765. This was 

 the nucleus of the valuable tract now owned by the society, 

 about one-half mile west of Main Street. The present 

 grounds contain twenty-four acres, with a half mile track, in 

 fine repair ; a grand stand three hundred feet long ; two 

 large exhibition buildings ; sheds for cattle, sheep and 

 swine, and closed stables for horses. The property of the 

 society is valued at $125,000. The grounds are compact, and 



