xvi REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



HIGHLAND SOCIETY. 



The pleasant duty assigned me by the Board, of inspecting the 

 exhibition of the Highland Society, at Middlefield, on the 11th and 

 12th of September, was duly performed. The show, though very 

 creditable as a whole, and well sustained in some of its parts, was 

 not, perhaps, equal to some former years in the department of neat- 

 stock and the universal interest of the farming communitj'. The 

 noticeable deficiency was in the number and variety of j'oung ani- 

 mals and in oxen for the stall and work. Splendid specimens in 

 these departments were on exhibition ^ and a sharp competition was 

 developed in the working-class. Judged by the animals on the 

 ground, and their products of butter and cheese in the ball, the mem- 

 bers of this Societ}' are awake to the importance of the dairy, skilful 

 in rearing and selecting suitable animals for the purpose, as well as^ 

 adepts in the manufacture of its products. The reputation o-f the 

 farmers of that section for choice tholoughbreds and fine grades wa» 

 well sustained by the exhibition, and the presence of several superior 

 breeding-males, which were owned by members of the society, indi- 

 cates a hopeful future for its stock interest. In the departments of 

 sheep, swine, breeding-horses and poultrj'y the show was good, and 

 gave evidence of sj'steraatic intelligent effort in the practical im- 

 provement of these animals. Mechanic arts, in the line of imple- 

 ments and machines to make agricultural labor more eflicient and 

 productive, were well represented, and attracted marked attention,, 

 but thej' as a general rule were produced out of the Society's limits. 

 There was abundant evidence of the skill and interest of the com- 

 munity in the exhibition of fancy articles, domestic mamifaetures. 

 and household products, which give an inner view of the home-lifCy 

 tastes and refinement of a people. The laek of that universal inter- 

 est of the surrounding community in the operations of this Society 

 seems to be the result of local jealousy, which will undoubtedly be- 

 ephemeral in its influence, and result in greater good for the whole. 

 The Society still maintains in its anniversary' the commendable feat- 

 ure of devoting the evening of its exhibition-day to public social 

 enjo^'raent and the discussion of topics of interest to an agricultural 

 commanrtj', making it an occasion of pleasure and improvement. 

 Middlefield and the other towns embraced within the limits of the 

 Highland Society are located on the highest and most inaccessible 

 points of the Green Mountain range, and though rich in beautiful,, 

 picturesque and grand scenerj', do not at the present time present a 

 .ver}- inviting field for purely agricultural labor. The meagre deposit 

 -of soil which has been gatliered in the cavities and uneven surfaces 



