APPENDIX. iii 



products of the dairy, adorned, too, witli a profusion of beautiful fabrics 

 from the various mills in Lawrence, — a picture of abundance, typical of 

 the industry and thrift of our people. Here seemed chiefly to centre 

 the zeal and interest of the society ; while the pens in the market-place 

 or public square were, on that tirst day, left to crowds of boys, organ- 

 grinders, auctioneers with very loud voices, and jugglers with extremely 

 large drums. 



Ought this to be in Essex County ? With some of the best farmers 

 and finest farms, in one of the wealthiest counties, with no rival society, 

 the Essex Society should make the effort to excel ; and I cannot but 

 think the first step toward this end should be the establishing for itself 

 of an abiding place in some accessible part of the county. This seems 

 to be the great desidei'atum of the society. 



Leverett Saltonstall. 



MIDDLESEX. 



The annual exhibition of the Middlesex Agricultural Society was 

 held at Concord, on the twenty-second day of September. 



This was the seventy -second anniversary of the society. It was 

 natural, therefore, to suppose that the force of long existing ties and 

 familiar associations would bring together a large concourse of people 

 heartily interested in the purposes and transactions of the day. The 

 society embraces within its limits many of the most pi'oductive farms 

 and beautiful rural residences — homes of wealth and of taste — in this 

 section of the Commonwealth. One might reasonably anticipate, 

 therefoi-e, a display of animals of every class, — the best of their species, 

 — and of field, orchard, vineyard, and garden products, of surpassing 

 excellence. There would be, also, in such a locality, the finest speci- 

 mens of various manufactures ; and the handiwork of thrifty house- 

 wives would add much to the attractiveness of the show. 



But our expectations were, in several respects, disappointed. Neither 

 at the field where the ploughing match was held, nor upon the society's 

 grounds for the display of stock, including the hall for the exhibition of 

 fruits, vegetables and domestic manufactures, — places unfortunately wide 

 apart, — was there any large concourse of really interested spectators. 

 There were, indeed, lookers-on, but it did not appear that many of those 

 present, at either point, felt any personal interest in the character or 

 result of the transactions of the day. And, more than once, did the 

 thought occur to our mind, that a lack of warm interest was apparent, 



