xliv REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



excellent exliiljition, and the same may be said of bread, butter and 

 cheese ; of the bread and butter we can truly say tliat avo have 

 seldom seen a more extensive show, or samples of better quality, 

 which sjieaks well for the hoiisekeepers of this county. The 

 handiwork of the ladies was visible on nil sides, fully attesting the 

 taste, industry and thrift of the better halves and the fair daughters 

 of the members of this society. 



The dinner, with the intellectual repast that followed, was all that 

 could be desired. The members of this society have reason to be 

 greatly encouraged when they remember the success of their last 

 exhibition in spite of drought and all the other obstacles with which 

 the farmer must contend. The grounds with the large and admira- 

 ble building owned by this society are well arranged for the pur- 

 poses for which they are designed, and we hope may long be en- 

 joyed by those who have labored to bring this young society to its 



present high rank. 



J. F. C. Hyde. 



NANTUCKET. 



At the meeting of the Board at Amherst in August, I made ar- 

 rangements with Mr. Thompson to meet him in Boston on Tuesday 

 morning, the 27th September, at 8 o'clock, A. M., to take the cars 

 for Nantucket, and was disappointed in not finding him there, and 

 did not learn of his sickness until I arrived at the island. I was 

 met at the boat by one of the vice-presidents, William II. Waitt, 

 Esq., who accompanied me to the hotel where I found a pleasant 

 home. The town was all alive in preparing for the show the next 

 day. The weather of the 28th Avas all that one could wish. I 

 started eai-ly for the fair ground, which is a mile distant from the 

 centre. The society own twenty-one acres of handsome level 

 land, surrounded Avith a substantial fence, and having a smoothly 

 finished track and ample stands for the committees and the band. 

 There is a large number of stanchions and hitching posts Avhere 

 the cattle are all secured, and where the committees have a fine 

 chance to vicAV them. There were 215 head of cattle on exhibition. 

 Of these, 142 Avere coavs, seventeen Avere thoroughbreds, sixty-one 

 grades and sixty-four natives ; the largest and best shoAV of cows 

 I ever saAV. The thoroughbreds and grades were mostly Alder- 

 neys and Ayrshires ; there Avere four full-blood Durhams, very good 

 animals. There Avere ten bulls, excellent types of their breed, as 

 they offer no premium except to thoroughbred bulls. There were 



