APPENDIX. xxi 



The first matter that occurred to unsettle any preconceived 

 notions of your delegate, was the inspection of the farm premises 

 of the president of the society, Wm. Knowlton, Esq., at West 

 Upton. Valuable and extensive improvements, returning abundant 

 and remunerative crops, covered grounds once familiar to us as 

 stumpy, rocky pastures and out-lands. Convenient buildings 

 erected and filled with hay and other crops, excellent work houses 

 and utensils and thorough bred stock, confirmed your delegate in 

 an old o})iiiion, that it is not the place but the man that makes the 

 farm, and that the president of that society possessed one more 

 farm in the Greeley sense of the term than Greeley himself, viz., 

 his own farm, one above him, one below him, and one all around 

 him ; for the example of such substantial and paying improve- 

 ments will be infectious and stimulating to all around him to do 

 likewise. 



Early upon the fair grounds upon the first day of the show we 

 were fully able to note the many choice aniTnals brought in. 

 Among the cattle Ayrshires and Jerseys predominated. A very few 

 Shorthorn Durhams were present. Taking it for granted that 

 dairy products were more profitable than beef-making, in a popvda- 

 tion so largely mechanical, the fact was not a surprise. 



Mr. Knowlton, the president of the society, exhibited Durhams, 

 Ayrshires and Brittany cattle, all thoroughbred and choice animals. 

 He had also on exhibition several imported Ayi'shire calves, which 

 with his careful rearing and good feeding, must in the future add 

 much to that class of stock in the limits of that society. 



C. H. Tilton, of Ashland, exhibited his herd of Dutch cattle. 

 Their fine figures and peculiar markings of black and white attracted 

 much attention. 



There were many fine specimens of milch cows and heifers 

 which would grace any man's farmyard and no doubt please his 

 wife by the quality of milk and butter they would yield. If not 

 the crowning excellence of the cattle department, it was at least 

 the most interesting, to witness the training of the working oxen 

 in the trials of draught and docility. Long ago " Dull as an ox," 

 passed into a proverb. At Milford the proverb is totally ignored. 

 The intelligence and aptness displayed by some of the trained oxen 

 were remarkable. One was disposed to place them and their 

 trainers on the same plane with the deaf and dumb who learn to 

 talk, and their teachers. 



Their evolutions in drawing, backing, changing places, lying 

 down and getting up again, going and coming at the gentlest call, 

 without the slightest appearance of being actuated by fear, have 



