xlii APPENDIX. 



BARNSTABLE. 



As the delegate of the State Board of Agriculture, I was present at 

 the last exhibition and fair of the Barnstable Agricultural Society, held 

 at Barnstable, Tuesday and Wednesday, October 4th, and 5th. 



The weather was fine both days, and the gathering of the farmers 

 and their friends a large one. 



The arrangements were such as evinced on the part of the officers of 

 the society, and the friends of agriculture, a zeal worthy of the cause, 

 and the display of the various fold and dairy, gardens, orchards and 

 fruit-yards, with the exhibition of the handiwork and fine taste of the 

 ladies, were all creditable to the men and women of Barnstable County. 



The fair was held on the grounds of the society, on which they have 

 erected a strong, thoroughly-built, aftd splendid building, 100 feet by 60 

 feet. The lower story is for offices and the exhibition hall ; the second 

 story is a beautiful hall, used for lectures and addresses before the 

 society ; the building, as a whole, is one of the best for its purposes I 

 have evei' seen ; the grounds contain fourteen acres, and, considering 

 the peculiar shape of the land in and around Barnstable, the society 

 have been fortunate in securing so good a place for their use. 



The display of fruit, of various kinds, was a very good one, but what, 

 more than anything else, drew my attention in this department, was the 

 very fine exhibition of grapes and cranberries from Provincetown ; the 

 sands of Cape Cod here were made to bring forth in plenty most 

 delicious fruits, by a system of earnest and generous culture. I have 

 hardly ever seen anything to excel, if equal, this part of the exhibition. 

 I cannot here give the names of those who have shown so much zeal 

 and ability in this culture, but will say they are worthy of praise, and 

 their example should be copied ; the entries of fruit were good, and it 

 was, to me, a very pleasing show. 



The entries of vegetables were fine indeed ; the display of garden 

 produce could hardly be excelled. Some specimens from the " Bacon 

 farm " were splendid, and were good witnesses of what can be done 

 with liberal fertilization and generous culture. 



The display of domestic animals was fair ; the few cows and bulls 

 were, however, of a good style and quality ; the fat cattle were not 

 numerous, but very good, and the working oxen were also very fine ; 

 these, with the 40 heifers, steers and calves, all of good quality, made 

 a show which would have been creditable to a better growing district. 

 There were but a few hogs or sheep, but the few were of good quality. 

 The poultry-yard was well represented. In this as in the stock 

 department, L. L. Goodspeed, Esq., held a prominent position. 



