NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



CATTLE SHOW AT NORTHAMPTON. 



The Annual Exhibition of the Hampshire, Frank- 

 lin and Hampden Society took place at Northamp- 

 ton, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 11th and 

 12th insts. The weather waa favorable, and all 

 circumstances seemed to conspire to make the oc- 

 casion an agreeable and profitable one. The morn- 

 ing of the first day was bright, with a cool and 

 bracing air, so that the men of the hill-country and 

 of the valleys, with their pleasant wives and daugh- 

 ters, came out with hearty good will to join the 

 happy festival. We were fortunate in being on 

 the ground early in the morning to see the cattle 

 horses, sheep and swine, in single groups as well 

 as collectively. 



Our attention — after the stock had generally 

 come upon the ground — was first directed to the 

 Swine. The collection was not numerous, but 

 there were several lots of fine proportions, which 

 did credit to their keepers. There were none of 

 entire purity of any one blood. 



From the swine we passed to the Sheep, among 

 which were the French and Spanish !Merinos and 

 .Silesian ; they appeared finely, and did not belong 

 to that class of which there is " a great cry and 

 little wool." 



The Working Ojren, 25 pairs from South Hadley, 

 and about as many more from Hadley, with many 

 single pairs, attracted especial attention. They 

 were mostly of the native breed, were of fine size 

 and form, and, we believe, could not be excelled 

 by an equal number of any other breed in the 

 country ; and when we afterward saw their skill 

 and power when hitched to the cart and plow, we 

 felt confirmed in the opinion, formed while stand 

 ing by their side in the morning, that they cannot 

 be excelled by any other breed for actual service 

 oc the road or farm. Whether they can be, as 

 intended for the shambles, we are not so clear. 



In the department of Fat Cattle, we have seen 

 nothing at any of the Shows this autumn to com- 

 pare favorably with those exhibited at Northamp- 

 ton. They were numerous and of the highest or- 

 der. One pair exhibited by Moses Stebbins, of 

 Deerfield, weighed 4,000 pounds. A pair from 

 Hatfield, presented by Mr. Billings, weighed 5,000 

 pounds. Edmund Smith, of South Hadley, pre- 

 sented a pair of steers, two years and nine months 

 old, that weighed 3,070 pounds. The oxen by Mr. 

 Stebbins were of the Devon blood, and the steers 

 by Mr. Smith, of the Short Horn. A pair of four 

 year old oxen weighing 4,380 lbs. which were very 

 fine, were presented by Cei'uas May, of Conway. 



Some excellent Milch Coivs were on the ground, 

 though there were not many in all, presented. 

 Oce, owned by Jotham A. Clark, had produced 

 15 lbs. and one ounce of butter in 7 days, witli 

 only the common pasture feed. She was bred by 

 the President of the Society, the Hon. Paoli 

 Lathrop, from his famous stock of Short Horns. 



Among the Young Cattle we noticed marks of the 

 Hereford, Short Horn, Devon and Ayrshire blood, 

 mingled with our native. We were particularly 

 pleased with a very fine short-hora heifer, thse 

 property of Mr. Lathrop, and another, one year 

 and 12 days old, for which he could- have taken 

 $200. These were Short Horns. 



In the Exhibition Hall, the Fruits were abund- 

 ant. Around a dish of the common crab apple, 

 were thirty varieties of fine fruit, all springing 

 from that common centre ; reading to ail a homily 

 upon the efiects of careful culture. 



There was a fine variety of Vegetables, giving 

 plenty of evidence that the garden is appreciated. 

 The Poultry was in full feather — the cocks as noisy 

 as ever, and the hens crammed rn their narrow 

 coops, speaking as loudly as they could — "I can't 

 get out — I can't get out ! " 



There were very few Farm implements — Ketch- 

 um's Mowing INIachine, and a Hay Cutter or two 

 comprising the whole display. 



What pleased us much was a Hydraulic Ram, 

 set up, and, water being supplied, showing to all 

 on the spot its practical working. This was worth 

 more to the multitude, than whole quires of des- 

 cription. 



The Drawing Match was well contested — load 

 3,000 pounds ; teams and teamsters, skilful. 



Of Horses there was a good show — some of them 

 very fine. 



Sixteen teams Plowed, mostly two horses ; a pair 

 of horses, owned and driven by Mr. Elisu a Strong, 

 of Northampton, while he himself held the plow, 

 did the work with more ease, exactness and skill 

 than we ever witnessed before ; and this we say, 

 living as we do, among many of the best plowmen 

 ia the country. Mr. Strong had no whip, and no 

 loud word escaped his lips during the time he was 

 engaged. There was perfect harmony between 

 himself and team; a single low tone would arrest, 

 or haw or gee them instantly, or quicken or de- 

 crease their movements. On coming out of the 

 furrow and mingling with another team from the op- 

 posite land,a single word would extricate them with 

 almost mechanical precision. That single exhibi- 

 tion of skill was the admiration of every beholder. 



The services at the church were exceedingly in- 

 teresting. The Address was by Wm. S. KrNC.Esq., 

 editor oi thQ Journal of Agriculture. His subject 

 was : "How can farming be made to pay," and 

 the general divisions were, 



1. That it does not now pay as it ought to, and 

 as liberally as other occupations. 



2. Why it does not pay. 



3. How it can be made to pay. 



The address embraced several topics not imme- 

 diately connected with the main proposition, and 

 altogether covered ground enough for a dozen such 

 eflforts. It was listened to with attention, and no 



