xviii REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



The exhibition in the hall was very creditable. The western third 

 of the hall was given up to pure agriculture, and here vegetables of 

 every kind stretched in long rows three times up and down the ball. 

 The north-western corner was occupied by an agent of the Burling- 

 ton and Missouri River Railroad, who made a very complete showing 

 of what the land along the line of the road can produce. A case of 

 the freshest-looking bread and sweetest butter stood near b}', to make 

 hungry men more hungry, and tempt those without any appetites. 

 In the south-western corner, Bagg & Batchelder made a fine dis- 

 play of their agricultural wares, while the space in front of the stage 

 was well filled by Milton, Bradley & Co.'s innumerable toj's, and an 

 elegant case of pot-wear from O. D. Morse & Co. The most showy 

 table was the double one through the centre of the hall, and the 

 most showy display upon it was by the art-store, which had piled a 

 pyramid of its treasures in the centre of the eastern half. The art- 

 treasures were flanked on one side b}' an exhibition of furnishing 

 goods by D. H. Brigham & Co., and on the other by Clark W. 

 Bryan's specimens of bookbinding, which monopolized the rest of 

 that side and the whole of the northern end. The whole of the 

 western side, with the northern end,^'as given up to a fine displa}' of 

 fruit. The rest, or east side, of the hall was filled with fancy articles 

 and some fine specimens of the new Wheeler & Wilson Improved 

 Sewing-machines. 



The closing exercises of the exhibition were an address b}' Com- 

 missioner Laisun, which was filled with useful and interesting infor- 

 mation upon the details of agriculture in China, and a dinner at 

 Cooley's Hotel, which was enlivened b}- suggestive speeches from 

 manv intelligent gentlemen. 



For the consideration of this Society and the agricultural com- 

 munitj' generally, your delegate prepared and submitted the follow- 

 ing view of 



The Prosperity of Agriculture in Massachusetts. 

 The curious and indescribable charm which surrounds agriculture, 

 even in the minds of those who know but little of its processes, and 

 still less of its scientific laws, is remarkal:)le and interesting. This 

 may undoubtedly be attributed to the fact, that man's love of nature 

 is one of his foremost sentiments, next to his love of kindred and 

 home ; and also to the peculiar radiance of all the bright da3's which 

 dawn upon a farmer's life, and all the cheerful events which surround 

 his occupation. Man's pathwaj^ through the world is not always 

 pleasant and easy. Perhaps, as in nature, the darkness of night 

 and the shadow of the cloud occupy by far the larger portion of 

 passing time, leaving for the sunshine a smaller share, so in human 



