492 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



f plowman, occasionally threw the plow from the 

 furrow. The work was generally well performed, 

 thouarh in some instances there was room for im- 



provement. 



SPADING MATCH. 



After the plowing, a sj^ading match was held on 

 ground immediately west of the hall. Nine sons 

 of the Emerald Isle entered the lists, each intent 

 uj)on securing the prize. At a signal, each spade 

 was thrust into the ground, with a spasmodic effort, 

 highly pleasing the admiring crowd. No signs of 

 weariness appeared, and each worked away with a 

 hearty will, fully determined to turn his lot of ten 

 feet square the other side U]) in the shortest possi- 

 ble time. As the work proceeded, much excite- 

 ment was manifested by the crowd, and when at 

 last one contestant threw his spade upon the ground 

 and declared his work finished, a hearty cheer was 

 shouted from thousands of voices. The first lot 

 was finished in sixteen minutes; and all but one in 

 seventeen minutes. 



TROTTING MATCH. 



At 10 o'clock, a trotting match came off upon the 

 new course, which was witnessed by an immense 

 crowd, but we have no room for details. 



EXERCISES IN THE CHURCH. 



At twelve o'clock a procession was formed at the 

 grounds, which proceeded to Rev. Dr. Lamson's 

 church, under the direction of Col. Adams, Mar- 

 shal of the day. Upon arriving at the church, the 

 President of the Society, Hon. M. P. Wilder, made 

 a few remarks. 



He said that Divine Providence had allowed them 

 to assemble once more, and that the present year 

 was auspicious for the welfare of the Society. He 

 remarked that the recent additions to the grounds 

 and the success of the present fair, would enable 

 the society to go on with good prospects for the 

 future. 



He then spoke of the improvements in agricul- 

 ture which had taken place, and remarked that the 

 present exhibition had surpassed all others ; yet Ave 

 were not to look at these exhibitions as mere holi- 

 days, but as days devoted to the study of agricul- 

 ture. 



Rev. Mr. Merrick, of Walpole, was then intro- 

 duced as the orator of the day. He first spoke of 

 the late improvements in agriculture, and then re- 

 marked that the course of his argument was the 

 profitableness of farming in this vicinity. Two 

 things were to be considered in this connection. 

 First, the manner in which farmers live; and se- 

 pond, that we always speak of the profits of farm- 

 ing comparatively. 



The address was listened to with much attention, 

 but Ave have no room for details. 



THE BANQUET. 



After the address, the procession re-formed and 

 marched to the hall, where a sumptuous repast was 

 spread by J. B. Smith. After the invocation of the 

 Divine blessing, the company regaled themselves on 

 the bounty before them. 



In front of the President's chair was the motto 



The Milk Vein. — We often hear, in the descrip- 

 tion of COAVS, tlie " milk vein " spoken of as though 

 it communicated Avith the udder and suppUed to it 

 the milk. Mr. Stephens says : 



" There is also another fallacy in regard to the 

 milking properties of a coav, which should be ex- 

 posed — I mean the notion of a large milk vein be- 

 loAV the belly indicating the milking poAvers of the 

 cow. The vein, cominonly called the milk vein, is 

 the sub-cutaneous vein, and has nothing to do with 

 the udder; it belongs to the respiratory system, 

 and is the means of keeping up an equilibrium in 

 the blood betAveen the fore and liind quarters. 

 This vein certainly indicates a strongly developed 

 vascular system, Avliich is favorable to secretion 

 generally, and no doubt is so to that of the milk 

 amonar the rest." 



WORCESTER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY, 



The annual exhibition of the Worcester County 

 Agricultural Society commenced in Worcester, Sept. 

 26th. The weather Avas favorable. 



The exhibition of cattle was unusually large. 



Butter and cheese were largely represented. 

 Cheese, for quantity and quahty, excelled any previ- 

 ous exhibition. Ruggles, Nourse, Mason & Co. 

 exlaibited Ketchum's moAving macliine in actual op- 

 eration ; also Manning's machine was exhibited by 

 Adriance. Among other articles which attracifed 

 general attention, Avas a corn-planter by J, Little- 

 field, of Leominster ; a machine for Aveeding root 

 crops, by W. J. Ross ; model of a water-Avheel and 

 Avindmill on the same principle, by Wm, M, Wheel- 

 er, Berlin; fancy stained glass for doors and win- 

 doAvs, by J. and J, N, Bartlett, Worcester, 



SHOAV OF HORSES. 



This took place on the Society's grounds, at half- 

 past six o'clock. There Avere fifty-fiA'e animals en- 

 tered for premiums, mostly of an ordinary character, 

 although there Avas now and then a sujjerior horse 

 to be seen. The fixcilities for exhibiting horses 

 outside the pens are very poor. There is no track, 

 and the area is not more than half large enough. 

 Exertions are being made, hoAvever, to increase the 

 Society's accommodations in this respect, so as to se- 

 cui-e a larger field and a trotting course. If success- 

 ful, the display of horses no doubt Avill hereafter 

 form an attractive feature of the Society's exliibition, 

 for there is plenty of material in the county. The 

 field presented an animated appeai-ance during the 

 day, a great many horses and carriages being on the 

 ground, as well as a large number of spectators. 

 But few horses entered for premiums were displayed 

 on the field, most of them being in the pens. There 

 Avere ten stalHons of all ages, eleven geldings, and 

 three pairs of matched horses. ^ 



THE DINNER AND ADDRESS. 



"From Agriculture are these blessings sent^- 

 Wealth, Commerce, Honor, Liberty, Content." 



After the literary repast was finished, the awards 

 were given, and the festivities were closed by sing- 

 ing an original ode, Aviitten by Miss Anne S. Tiles- 

 ton, to the tune of "Auld Lang Sj-ne." 



At tAvo o'clock a goodly company sat down to one 

 of the best public dmners of the season, got up by 

 Augustus N. Marrs, of Worcester. It Avas laid in 

 the hall of the Society. After the company Avere 

 seated Rev. Mr. Jones, of the Fu'st Baptist church, 

 offered prayer. 



The bountiful repast was next attended to, and 

 ample justice rendered to its merits. 



The President, Hon. John Brooks, of Princeton, 

 then introduced as the orator of the day, Wil 

 Ham Brigham Esq., of Boston, who dehvered an in 



