AGRICULTURAL MUSEUM 45 



CELEBRATION AT HUMPHREYSVILLE. 



On tlie 4th of July, the citizens of New Haven were 

 g-iutified with an exhibition, which for novelty, utility and 

 j);itriotisni, probably stands unrivalled in the records of 

 all preceding festivals on this memorable day. 



The (armers, shepherds, mechanics and manufacturers 

 in Col. Humphreys' employ, having beforehand solicited 

 to be usefully occupied on this day, he proposed a plough- 

 ing match, &c. and had them assembled at his farm in 

 Yorkshire quarter, about three quarters of a mile from 

 the state-house. Their emulation was manifested by the 

 early hour of their appearance on the ground.* 



At the dawn of the day, in a field if eighteen acres, 

 marked out into lands of one acre each, fourteen ploughs 

 .started, each in its own land, according to its num- 

 ber, each being drawn by one pair of horses, oxen or 

 mules. The other four lands were ploughed by teams 

 p["oraiscuously, as they finished their own. The animals, 

 bred principally at the Humphreysville establishment, 

 consisting of horses, oxen, aud mules, were generally 

 admired for their beauty, in particular four grey colts 

 from the stock of Col. H's elegant Arabian horse Ran- 

 ger. The land No. 7, wns finished ploughing before 9 

 o' clock. t — The teams passing and re-passing each other 

 in quick succession, presented the most animated picture 

 of the kind we ever witnessed. Whilst this was per- 

 forming in one field, the axe-men and carpenters were 



*The colonel (as is his usual custom) rose very early, 

 and upon coming to the field, was astonished to find 

 them all upon the ground, and very pleasantly observed 

 that although he was an old soldier, they had this morn- 

 insf stolen a march of him. 



t This land was allotted to a respectable farmer, be= 

 f ween 50 and 60 years of age, who had walked three 

 miles to his work, and was ploughed by a line pair of 

 red oxen, the handsomest in the field. 



