48 ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 



tions of the earth. We fear that it has been the unfortunate 

 experience of many of our Society, to be called upon to par- 

 take of bread made by unskillful hands from good flour, which 

 has been converted into a dry, tough, heavy, and indigestible 

 mass, noxious to the taste and highly deleterious to health. We 

 believe the Society will be sustained by the general sentiment 

 of the community in. any attempt to supply the people with 

 pleasant and nutritious bread. This article of food has in all 

 ages been considered the very staff of life ; and all mankind — 

 even the most zealous opponents of capital punishment — have 

 approved of the act of Pharaoh in hanging his chief baker, un- 

 der the presumption that he was guilty of making bad bread. 



FITCH POOLE, Chairman. 



ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 



The Committee on Counterpanes, Carpetings, and Rugs, 

 Report : 



That the exhibition of that portion of Domestic Manufac- 

 tures which was submitted to their supervision, did much cred- 

 it to the economy, industry, taste, and public spirit of the mat- 

 rons and misses of Essex County. It evidenced their economy 

 in converting rags and otherwise almost worthless material in- 

 to durable, useful, ornamental, and comfort-giving articles for 

 their own sweet homes. Counterpanes, Carpetings and Rugs ! 

 How many of the most felicitous emotions and joyous hours 

 of human life are associated with these ! And how immensely 

 valuable beyond their intrinsic worth are oftentimes such manu- 

 factures, when wrought by the hands of a mother, wife, sister 

 or daughter ! How much may they sometimes promote edu- 

 cation and intellectual development even ? Imagine for a mo- 

 ment a family circle sitting round that beautifully wrought 

 hearth rug, which obtained the first premium on this occasion, 

 very naturally talking about and enlightening each other on 

 the biographical and historical associations suggested by the 



