APPENDIX. xix 



In closing, I wish to express my thanks to the officers of the society, 

 and to otliers who cordially welcomed me as your delegate, and who 

 contributed in various ways to make my visit both jdeasant and 

 profitable. 



P. Stedman. 



WORCESTER SOUTH. 



On the morning of October 16th, 1864, we found ourself at a board- 

 ing-house in the centre of Sturbridge. 



Recollected riding upon the outside of a stage the preceding evening, 

 some eight miles, in company with eleven others, a majority of whom 

 were bound for the cattle show of the Worcester South Agricultural 

 Society. Inside passengers were crammed in so closely, and darkness 

 drawing around us long before we reached the village where they began 

 to alight, we never learned the number who were favored with inside 

 seats. 



The morning referred to dawned inauspiciously, — clouds, dark and 

 lowering, indicated rain, which, after a time, fell in sufficient quantity 

 to mystify the minds of many and prevent a large assemblage at an 

 early hour in the day. As the time approached for the ploughing match, 

 and desiring to witness the same, I was fortilnate in meeting Dr. Hart- 

 w^ell, chairman of the committee, when we wended our way to the 

 ground allotted to that branch of the exhibition. We found that ten 

 teams had been entered, each single pairs of oxen, and all upon the 

 ground, ready to contest for the prizes. The land was tough sward, 

 rendered still more difficult by the drought, from the effects of which it 

 had not fully recovered. At the appointed time, however, the teams 

 all started and performed the task assigned in workmanlike manner. 

 The larger and more efficiently trained cattle got through quicker and 

 with greater facility than others, yet the work, considering the circum- 

 stances, was nobly done. Formerly, the land had not been deeply 

 ploughed, and Ave think the committee acted wisely in demanding 

 greater depth of furrow slice. Shallow ploughing, except for special 

 purposes, and where it cannot be avoided, should never be practised. 



On returning to the village, the cattle pens were all found to be occu- 

 pied, and many cattle tied to stakes and posts prepared for that purpose 

 outside the pens. First, we noticed a Durham bull, seven years old, 

 and owned by P^dmund Capen, of Charlton. His weight 2,300 pounds, 

 of good proportions ; but we think he had been kept long enough for 

 all useful purposes of this world. 



