1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



507 



comfort of those who may attend ; and we trust 

 no one will be deterred by the eager zeal of this 

 ill-advised correspondence. 



Another thing ; — we think a great mistake has 

 been committed by renting the ground to a Cir- 

 cus Company. The exhibition of big oxen, and of 

 supple Jacks, arc entertainments totally incongru- 

 ous, and the managers of the Fair, so far from be- 

 ing under obligations to supply "fun for the mil- 

 lion," ought rather to exclude everything which 

 may interfere witli the sober, noble ^nd ennobling 

 purposes of the Exhibition. 



ESSEX COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR. 



The thirty-fifth annual exhibition of the Essex 

 County Agricultural Society was held in the 

 city of Lawrence during Wednesday and Thurs- 

 day, Sept. 29th and 30th. This institution is one 

 of the oldest and most useful of the kind in the 

 State. Since its formation it has been the means 

 of materially improving the condition of agricul- 

 ture in the county. Its results are manifest in 

 the light and effective agricultural tools — so dif- 

 ferent from the awkward and heavy implements 

 of forty years ago ; they are apparent in the more 

 productive farms ; in their lich fields of waving 

 grain ; in the excellence of their stock ; and in 

 the comfortable dwellings and increaseibprosperity 

 of the farmers themselves. 



The exhibition of domestic manufactures, fruit, 

 vegetables, &c., &c., took place in the City Hall 

 building, and was replete with interest. The 

 sides of the room were hung round with beautiful 

 specimens of quilting, patch-work, &g., affording 

 ample evidence that the fiir ladies of Essex County 

 'are in the habit uf employing their leisure mo- 

 ments in a profitable manner. There was an ex- 

 tensive show, also, of magnificent fruit — embrac- 

 ing most of the choicest varieties of pears and 

 apples. Turning to the western side of the hall, 

 the visitor was reminded that harvest and seed- 

 time have come among us ; for the eye revelled 

 upon rich piles of golden corn and squashes, mam- 

 moth cabbages, melons, &c., — enough to provision 

 a regiment for a week. There were many beau- 

 tiful specimens of embroidery on the tables, and 

 some finely executed pieces of drawing. In front 

 of the stage was arranged the flower table, which 

 was literally covered with the most beautiful of 

 Flora's offerings, arranged in every imaginable 

 tasteful style. 



The Cattle Show came off on the green fronting 

 the City Hall. Preparations were made for the 

 reception of stock Wednesday ; but owing to the 

 rainy weather, a comparatively small amount was 

 brought in. Thursday, however, the show was 

 very respectable. The pens contained some fine 

 horses, and an extensive array of noble looking 

 cattle. There were many porkers of all sizes, 

 sexes and age^, on exhibition. They were chiefly 

 representatives of the Suffolk breed. Of poultry 

 there was a good display, including nearly all the 

 fancy breeds ; and, judging from the crowd which 

 throughout the day attentively regarded their do- 

 ings, they formed by no means the least attractive 

 part of the exhibition. 



The Plowing INIatch was an interesting feature 

 of the day ; and at the time appointed for its com- 

 mencement a large gathering of people had as- 

 sembled at the spot assigned, which was a field 



near the Shawsheen House, on the Andover side 

 of the river, about half a mile from the depot. 

 Twenty-ciglit teams competed for the prizes. They 

 comprised 14 double ox-tcams, 9 single teams, 

 and 5 horse- teams. The plowing was accom- 

 plished in beautiful style. As the brutes snuffed 

 the pure cold air of the morning breeze, they 

 seemed to inhale with it an unwonted vigor, and 

 to step off to their labor with redoubled energy 

 and strength. Although the ground was not 

 well adapted to an exhibition of speed, the tasks 

 were all accomplished in remarkably quick time. 



The Drawing Match took place near tlie bridge 

 over the Merrimack, on the Andover side of the 

 river. The trial consisted in drawing and backing 

 a heavy load of stone, 2100 pounds in weight, up 

 a considerable ascent in the road — a distance of 

 about 250 feet. As the road was in a muddy con- 

 dition, the task was no inconsiderable one ; but it 

 was accomplished generally, by the six or eight 

 teams which essayed a trial, with apparent ease. 

 The driving, too, was admirable — showing that in 

 the art of managing their oxen the farmers of 

 Essex are unsurpassed, and perhaps unsurpassable. 



At 12 o'clock a procession of members of the 

 Society and invited guests was formed at the City 

 Hall, under the auspices of Col. Coleman, chief 

 marshal of the day, and marched to the Lawrence 

 Street Church, there to listen to an address from 

 Joseph S. Cabot, Esq., well known as the Presi- 

 dent of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



The services in the church were opened by a 

 voluntary from the choir. A hymn of " harvest 

 time " was then sung to the beautiful air of "The 

 Ingleside." Rev. Mr. Harrington, of Lawrence, 

 offered a fervent prayer, and tlae address was next 

 delivered by Mr. Cabot. 



lilr. Cabot's address was one of a high order of 

 merit ; it treated of agricultm-e as a chief element 

 of political prosperity, and gave much useful ad- 

 vice and information respecting the practice of 

 both agriculture and horticulture. It was a prac- 

 tical lecture, and one excellently adapted to excite 

 a generous rivalry in the breasts of those farmers 

 who were present, and to incite them to redoubled 

 efforts in the pursuit of their honorable vocation. 



Mr. Cabot's address occupied about three-quar- 

 ters of an hour in delivery, and was very atten- 

 tively listened to on the part of the audience. At 

 its close a hymn was sung by the choir, and then 

 the assembly, forming a procession, proceeded to 

 the dining hall. About two hundred persons were 

 seated at the tables, which were furnished by C. 

 B. Melvin, of Lawrence. Before partaking, the 

 dinner blessing was implored by Rev. IMr. Harring- 

 ton. After the conclusion of the repast, brief and 

 eloquent remarks were made by Messrs. Lawson, 

 of Lowell; Henry F. French, of Exeter, N. H., 

 President of the Rockingham Agricultural Society ; 

 Charles H. Flint, Secretary of the State Board of 

 Agriculture ; Mr. Buckminster, editor of the 

 Ploughman; Mr. Dodge, of Sutton, member of 

 the Board of Agriculture ; Mr. Howard, of the 

 Cultivator; Dr. Reynolds, of Concord ; Rev. Mr. 

 Harrington, of Lawrence ; and the Hon. President 

 of the day. Col. Closes Newell. 



At half-past three o'clock, after having passed 

 a very pleasant «ocial hour together, the dinner 

 party again foi-med in procession, and proceeded 

 to the chnrch t) listen to the reports of the sev- 

 eral committees. — Journal. 



