THE AGRICULTURAL FAIR AT NORTHAMPTON. 227 



the ball is in motion ; the signs are as plain as the Great Bear in the heavens. 

 But Rome was not built in a day. 



In our next, if we have time, we will give the sketch of a Memorial, to be ad- 

 dressed by the farmers of the United States, and especially by Agricultural So- 

 cieties, to the Legislatures of the several Slates, calling on tiiem to memorialize 

 Congress for a share of the proceeds of the public lands, for the dilfusion of agri- 

 cultural knowledge in each of the Slates. We invoke the aid and counsels of 

 the friends of the plow, of all parties. As for a great *« Agricultural Department " 

 at Washington, it sounds very well, but will never come to a practical head. 



THE AGRICULTURAL FAIR AT NORTHAMPTON. 



We have no room at command to give even general accounts of the numerous 

 Agricultural Fairs which have just passed by. Of two of them — the one at 

 Northampton and the one at Worcester, Mass. — the Editor might be expected to 

 say something from personal observation, as in regard to each he might say, 

 pars quorum fui — however humble that part was. 



Some general remarks have been made upon the Worcester Show, in the way 

 of information, in quarters where it may be desired to get up such exhibitions of 

 agricultural and of domestic industry. The Fair occurring there a week sooner 

 than at Northampton, left us time for these remarks, while none remained for 

 any description of the Fair at Northaniplon. In reference to this, we can only- 

 quote the remark of the Northampton Democrat, which, after a vivid description 

 of the storm the night before, and the apprehension of its effects on the Exhibi- 

 tion, says : " The days on which it occurred were, for the most part, uncommonly 

 pleasant for the season, and the town was literally filled to overflowing with the 

 people who came to enjoy the festivity. The Fair, and the cattle, and the horses, 

 are said not to have been equal to the exhibitions of last year, but all the adjuncts 

 to this festival were fully equal to whatever has been here on other similar occa- 

 sions." 



In the next number of this Journal, we shall so far depart from the practice of 

 omitting particular Reports — a practice imposed by necessity rather than by 

 choice — as to give, in the Ladies' DEPARTME^fT, the Report on Domestic Manu- 

 factures, from the pen of Mr. Gorham, and perhaps some others. In what has 

 been said under the head of "Agriculture in Massachusetts," it will have been 

 seen that the Societies on which are bestowed the patronage of the Slate are re- 

 quired to send in the Reports of their Committees to the State Department. — 

 From these reports, "Abstracts" are to be made by the Secretary of the Common- 

 weahh, of such parts as appear to deserve particular attention and distribution. 

 These reports, being thus written under the knowledge that they are liable to be 

 published, may be supposed to be drawn up with somewhat more than ordinary 

 care ; but for this, in most cases, too little time is allowed — as at Worcester par- 

 ticularly, where the whole Fair must be arranged and disposed of in a single 

 day. 



It may be worth while to advise the patrons of this Journal that we shall be 

 regularly supplied with these "Abstracts" when published, when these will be 

 again sifted, and such parts given to our readers as may appear to be of greatest 

 importance and most general applicability. 



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