xlvi APPENDIX. 



was filled to overflowing with visitors. There was no formal address, 

 and the time was agreeably passed in social intercourse, enlivened by 

 the best of music on the first evening, by the band and singing, and the 

 second' all were delighted with the vocal music by the Nantucket Glee 

 Club. 



The president tendered thanks to all who had in any way contributed 

 to the success of this interesting and profitable exhibition. In conclu- 

 sion, I am happy to say there appeared to be no want of enthusiasm to 

 carry out successfully every department of the fair. 



Paoli Lathrop. 



MARTHA'S VINEYARD. 



The undersigned, a delegate from the State Board of Agriculture to 

 visit the annual cattle show of Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society, 

 can say but little in relation to what was on the grounds the first day of 

 the exhibition, for the reason that he did not arrive until the "day after 

 the fair," for which mistake I feel very sorry, as I wished to note the 

 progress of the society's efforts in improving the neat stock of the 

 island. For several years past, the society have spent a part of their 

 funds in buying thoroughbred Ayrshire bulls and taking them to the 

 Vineyard for the purpose of improving their dairy stock. I think they 

 have imported some five or six. These animals cannot but help to do 

 a good work. The Ayrshire cow is an animal pre-eminently adapted for 

 the dairy, with moderately short pastures. And I wish for the good of 

 the farmers of the Vineyard that they had a stringent law forbidding the 

 importation of, or the raising of any neat stock, except Ayrshires and 

 their grades. This plan, strictly carried out for twenty or thirty years, 

 would fill the island with a breed of cattle as uniform both in size and 

 color as well as in the most useful qualities, as could have been imported 

 from Scotland twenty or thirty years ago. 



Sheep husbandry is an important branch of agriculture on all the 

 islands of this district. They have wisely, as I think, adopted a mutton 

 breed. They are quite uniform in size and color, resembling the 

 Leicester breed, although smaller than the improved breed now known 

 as the new Leicesters, but, in my judgment, about large enough for their 

 keeping. I think a few Southdown rams introduced among their fiocks, 

 would thicken the fleece, and add one or two cents per pound to the 

 value of the lambs for the market, and increase the value of the whole 

 flock in a considerable degree. The sheep as well as the cattle will pay 

 for more care than they now receive on the island. 



