VOL. XII. 1VO. 15. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



117 



anniversaries, there are probably none, which pre- 

 sent more difficulty of just and accurate discrimi- 

 nation, than those which are tho subject of this re- 

 port. Sixty-four lots of cheese of different des- 

 criptions, were entered for premium, containing, 

 iu all 7851 lbs.: a greater quantity, we under- 

 stand, than has ever been offered on any former 

 occasion. From such abundance, and such varie- 

 ty of quality, it is obviously impossible, always to 

 arrive at a conclusion, fully satisfactory, which is 

 to designate one lot as superior to all the others. 

 There has been, however, hut very little difference 

 of taste and of course, as little discordance of opin- 

 ion among the members of your Committee, in the 

 examination they made of this article. They in- 

 spected separately the several lots, without inter- 

 changing their views, until the trial was complet- 

 ed, when the first comparison of their memoranda 

 shewed almost an entire unanimity in relation to 

 the lots, to which the premiums ought to be 

 awarded. Taking them all together, they were of 

 uncommon excellence. But your Committee are 

 of opinion, that Marshall Thompson of Barre, is 

 entitled to the first premium, of $10, for a lot of 

 210 lbs. of new milk cheese, the product of the 

 past season ; that the second premium of 87, he 

 paid to Mr. Roswell Converse of New Braintree^ 

 for a lot of 102 lbs. ; the third premium of $5, to 

 Mr. John Hunter of New Braintree, for a lot of 

 117 lbs.; and the fourth premium of S3, to Mr. 

 Josiah G. Gleason of New Braintree, for a lot of 

 129 lbs.; the premium of $7, to Danforth K. 

 Tufts of New Braintree, for a lot of 100 lbs, of 

 Sage Cheese ; the first premium of $S, to Mr. John 

 .Matthews of New Braintree, fur a lot of Old 

 Cheese, and the second premium of $6, to Mr. Da- 

 vid Lee of Barre, for a lot of 128 lbs., of the kind 

 last mentioned. 



The specimens of Butter were not as numerous 

 as heretofore : but in excellence, they were not in- 

 terior to any former exhibition. A lot of 20 lbs. 

 offered for premium by Mr. Joseph Richards of 

 "\Vestborough, was unaccompanied by the certifi- 

 cate, required by the rides of the Society, stating 

 the whole quantity made in his dairy, and the 

 number of Cows kept, between the months of May 

 and October. It could not therefore be brought 

 into competition with other lots. The same ob- 

 jection was found applicable to a lot of 50 lbs. of- 

 fered by Mr. Henry Sprague of Barre. It was 

 thought by your Committee, that both these might 

 have merited a premium, iiad the necessary infor- 

 mation been furnished. Another lot of 25 lbs. enter- 

 ed by Mr. Royal Pickard of Worcester, occupying 

 the farm of the President of this Society, was of ex- 

 cellent quality, and would have come into success- 

 ful competition, had it not been unpleasantly affect- 

 ed by the vessel in which it was placed. Mr. Pick- 

 ard is to be considered as unfortunate rather than 

 thoughtless ; the vessel was of Bass wood, recent- 

 ly made, and probably for this particular purpose; 

 aud the Committee believe he was not aware that 

 the butter would be influenced by coming in con- 

 tact with wood of this description. It is here wor- 

 thy of remark, that dairy women are generally not 

 sufficiently attentive to the condition of the ves- 

 sels, in which they set their milk, and make and 

 preserve their butter. Most other complaints 

 about poor butter, may be traced to this source. — 

 They should never forget, that the vessels they use 

 for this purpose should he neat and clean as the 

 person, and sweet as the temper of a good house- 

 wife. Another lot of 10 ihs. offered only for in- 



spection by Mr. Francis Grout of Worcester, at 

 tracted much of the attention of your Committee. 

 It was made in June last, and was remarkable for 

 its hardness, its sweetness and rich flavor. 



Your Committee, with a unanimity which re- 

 sulted altogether from separate trial, recommend, 

 that the highest premium of $7, be paid to Mr. 

 Luther Chamberlain of Westborough, for a lot of 

 21 lbs. ; the second premium of $6, to Mr. Walter 

 Bigelow of Worcester, for a lot of 30 lbs. ; and the 

 third premium of $4, to Mr. Francis Grout of 

 Worcester, for a lot of 27 lbs. They found no lot, 

 1 m:i r.d .conformably to the regulations of the Trus- 

 tees, entitled to the fourth premium, and it lias 

 therefore not been disposed of. They cannot re- 

 frain from repeating a regret, often expressed by 

 Committees of the Society, that any of our fellow 

 citizens, who come here in friendly, and honora- 

 ble competition for testimonials of superior merit, 

 as farmers, manufacturers, or mechanics, should 

 deprive themselves of the possibilit;/ of success, 

 and deprive also the Committees of the pleasure of 

 awarding the meed of merit, by a failure to com- 

 ply with the salutary ami indispensable requisitions 

 of the Trustees. These may be easily known, 

 and easily observed, and ought not to he disc gard- 

 ed by any, who are friendly to the important ob- 

 jects of the corporation. 



This failure is the more to he lamented in its ap- 

 plication to the products of the dairy, because, if 

 die character of the farmer, as such, were to lie 

 tested by any two articles, selected as specimens, 

 from all the rest, those from the dairy would be 

 first considered ; — for if these he good, they prove, 

 more than any others, the value of the cows, the 

 quality of the breed of neat cattle, the care, neat- 

 ness, and skill of the housewife, and the general 

 good condition of the whole establishment, within 

 and without. These products, too, if of good 

 quality, are the richest of luxuries ; but if poor, 

 or even indifferent, they are not worth the care 

 and expense they require. It was once remarked 

 by a sagacious observer of agricultural improve- 

 ments, that in judging of the management of a 

 farm, he wished to see nothing hut the barn. — 

 With equal safety may we judge of all within the 

 house, by tasting of nothing hut the Butter and 

 Cheese. 



These suggestions are made, not in the spirit of 

 fault-finding, but in the hope of advancing the in- 

 terests of farmers, by whom, we trust, they will 

 be received in the spirit of candor and kind feel- 

 ing. Per order, S. 31. Bue.xside. 



SHEEP. 



George Folsom of Worcester, Chairman ; Alex- 

 ander De Witt of Oxford, John Jacobs of Milhu- 

 ry, William Williams of Westborough — Committee. 



Your Committee proceeded to the performance 

 of the duties assigned to them with feelings of pe- 

 culiar gratification, as well from a knowledge of 

 the excellent qualities of the animal to which then- 

 attention was directed, as from a regard to what 

 they consider a valuable source of profit Jo the 

 community. They are far from concurring in the 

 sentiment attributed to an eminent individual at 

 the South, that " he would go a rod out of his 

 way to kick a sheep ;" on the contrary, they are 

 happy to have come a considerable distance from 

 their homes, if for no other cause, to have hail the 

 opportunity to form an acquaintance with the fine 

 specimens of that interesting animal exhibited to- 

 day. It will not be expected of them, however, J 



to consume the time of the Society in stating at 

 length the reasons of their partiality ; suffice it to 

 say, they are such as "appeal with great force to 

 the comfort and well-being of the outward and the 

 inward man. 



In selecting among the animals exhibited those 

 which were pre-eminently excellent, your Com- 

 mittee met with no little difficulty from the high 

 claims that all presented to their favorable notice. 

 The native breed especially claimed their admira- 

 tion for size and beauty of form, and the excellent 

 character of their wool. Classed among these was 

 a Ram, entered by Mr. Asa Rice of West Boylston, 

 weighing when last sheared, 188 lbs., the fleece 

 included, which weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. This ani- 

 mal was purchased by Mr. Rice in the town of 

 Gardner, where he was raised, and was repre- 

 sented to him as of the native breed; hut your 

 Committee, judging from the appearance of the 

 animal, and the quality of the wool, were unani- 

 mous in the opinion that a crossing must have 

 taken place, sufficient to exclude him from the 

 (dass in which he had been entered. Mr. Seth 

 Wyman of Shrewsbury, offered for the premium a 

 native Ram, 3 -A years old, weighing 195 lbs., and 

 altogether a line animal ; but your Committee were 

 of opinion, that, other tilings being equal, old rams 

 were likely to be less useful than younger ones. 

 They passed, therefore, to a more youthful com- 

 petitor, entered by Mr. Thomas W. Ward, Jr. of 

 Shrewsbury, remarkable for the fineness of his 

 fleece and the symmetry of his proportions, and 

 awarded him the premium of five dollars. The 

 age of this Ram was 1J years ; his weight 104 lbs. 

 Your Qommiltee cannot avoid commending in 

 high terms the animals in this class exhibited by 

 Mr. Aaron Goodale of West Boylston, and Dr. 

 Wilson of Barre. 



A fine lot of native Ewes was entered by Mr. 

 Daniel Tenney of Suttou, accompanied by a beau- 

 tiful tlock of Lambs, for which the premium of 

 four dollars was awarded — no other native Ewes 

 being offered. Your Committee hesitated between 

 the native Wethers entered by Dr. Wilson of Barre, 

 and those of Mr. Franklin M. Farnum of Carlton, 

 but finally decided in fevor of the former, for their 

 ;id unquestionable claims to native purity of 

 breed. They have awarded, therefore, the premi- 

 um of three dollars, for the best two native Weth- 

 ers, to Dr. Wilson. 



In approaching the animals of foreign extraction, 

 your Committee had first to decide between two 

 Merino Rams, both sufficiently ugly to merit con- 

 sideration, even if an unpromising exterior had not 

 concealed a fleece of charming fineness and beau- 

 ty. One of these, owned by Maj. Simeon Burt of 

 Worcester, was an admirable specimen of Spanish 

 gra\ ity and ill-favored proportions ; but your Com- 

 mittee, aware that the quality of the coat was the 

 true test of the value of the sheep, although it 

 might not be of the gentleman, were under the ne- 

 cessity of passing over his claims in favor of the 

 other animal, whose fleece appeared somewhat the 

 finest, entered by Rejoice Newton, Esq. of Wor- 

 cester, to whom they awarded the premium of 

 seven dollars for the best Merino Ram. 



Two lots of Merino Ewes only, were exhibited. 

 Those entered by Mr. Newton, were thought en- 

 titled to the first premium of eight dollars. To the 

 others, entered by Mr. T. W. Ward, jr. of Shrews- 

 bury, was adjudged the second premium of four 

 dollars. All which is respectfully submitted. 



For the Committee, George Folsom, Chairm. 



