xlvi REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



meeting there the worthy secretary of the society, David Mayhew, 

 who was waiting to convey the orator of the year, Dr. Geo. B. Loring, 

 and myself, to the then attractive feature of the island, — the annual 

 farmers' holiday. 1 found it this in a true sense. On arriving at 

 the society's grounds the crowd in attendance first drew my at- 

 tention, as it seemed to me composed wholly of farmers and their 

 families. The day being well advanced, and the hour being near 

 allowing the removal of neat stock, I was conducted about the 

 grounds that I might see this fine display of cattle, a total in num- 

 ber of two hundred and forty-nine (249) head, consisting of 

 natives, grade Ayrshires, and thoroughbred Ayrshires. The dis- 

 play of oxen and steers, (75) seventy-five yoke, was commend- 

 able, but not what it should be viewing it in comparison with 

 the excellent display of bulls and cows, from which one would 

 infer fine steers might be reared, and as proved in the oxen and 

 steers shown by II. D. Norton, Herman Yincent and Stephen 

 Luce. 



The bulls I found all thoroughbred Ayrshires, eight in number, 

 and with pleasure I report that this society offer no premiums on 

 grade bulls. Well worthy of standing prominent among the bulls 

 two years and over, was McDonald 3d, shown by Captain F. O. 

 Rotch, while in the yearlings, the one shown by Allen Tilton 

 gives promise in the future. The display of cows and heifers, as 

 before expressed, was excellent, and consisted of thoroughbred 

 Ayrshires, and high grades of the same breed, thirty-one being 

 shown in the various divisions, aside from the class "herds of 

 cows," of which there were five entries. F. O. Rotch led in both 

 the show of cows and heifers. My attention was next called to the 

 sheep, of which I found on exhibition seventy-six (76), consisting 

 in the main of Avhat is termed natives, and I think I can say 

 nothing better in reference to this' class of farm stock, than to refer 

 to the report of the committee, in which is urged on the mind of 

 the farmer the importance of obtaining pure-bred animals to breed 

 from, but ending in these words, " It is useless to purchase fine 

 sheep, with the expectation that they or their ofispring will prove 

 satisfactory imless properly cared for," referring, I think, to the 

 practice on the island of letting the' sheep run at large most of 

 the year. 



I observed, next the sheep, three pens of swine, the total on 

 show, and near by was the fine display of poultry, fourteen coops, 

 consisting of hens, guinea-hens, turkeys, geese and ducks. Viewing 

 these, I neared the hall, which, on entering I found full to overjlow- 

 ing, of the productions of the farm, the garden, the orchard, the 



