HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 201 



HAMPDEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In presenting the transactions of this society for the current 

 year, its directors say, — Let our first expression be gratitude for 

 the manifestations of mercy and kindness received from the 

 benevolent Author of all good gifts, whose protecting care has 

 preserved us as in the hollow of his hand, and has crowned our 

 labors with uncommon rewards. We have literally " sat under 

 our own vines and fruit trees, with none to molest or make us 

 afraid." Truly may we say, our lines have fallen to us in pleas- 

 ant places, and we have a goodly heritage ; our garners are fall, 

 — our baskets with corn, and our measures with the oil of fat 

 things. It is with such feelings that we would commence the 

 record of our annual exhibition. This society has been organ-^ 

 ized seven years, and has never before furnished the members 

 with a copy of its transactions, by which to form an estimate 

 of its past progress, or compare the present with its future suc- 

 cess. This consideration, with the fact, that many who feel a 

 deep interest in the welfare of the society would like to refer to 

 some particular circumstance which transpired at these interest- 

 ing anniversaries, or would like to re-peruse the detail of events 

 and circumstances which then and there took place, and which 

 have heretofore reached them only through the medium of a 

 newspaper column, which is soon lost and forgotten, has influ- 

 enced the directors to furnish this brief abstract of the doings of 

 the society for the present year. We shall not attempt to re- 

 kindle those feelings of enthusiasm, which animated every one 

 who witnessed the deeply interesting circumstances of our ex- 

 hibition, by presenting a full description of each article under 

 its appropriate head, but shall let the awarding committees tell 

 their own story. 



It is said that we live in an age of improvement. And if we 

 compare the implements of husbandry of the present day with 

 those our fathers labored with ; the products of the same fields 

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