HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY. 247 



/ 

 HAMPSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The cattle show of this society was held at Amherst, the 

 22d day of October last. The exhibition opened with the 

 trial of horses, the number, quality and appearance of which, 

 received general commendation. The whole number on the 

 ground was 123, viz. : five stallions, twelve geldings, forty 

 work-horses, twenty- two breeding mares, and forty-four colts. 

 The show of cattle was very extensive, numbering five hun- 

 dred in all, viz. : five calves, seven milch cows, nine heifers, 

 twelve bulls, sixteen fat cattle, sixty steers, and 390 working 

 oxen. 



Of town teams, the Belchertown string contained 202 work- 

 ing oxen, in pairs, decorated with banners, and attached to a 

 spacious car, appropriately decorated and occupied by 181 per- 

 sons, including a band of music. The Granby string was com- 

 posed of eighty-eight excellent cattle, and the Leverett string 

 of forty-eight. Parsons West, of Hadley, exhibited eighteen 

 very nice working oxen, from his own farm. 



The number of entries for the ploughing match, was twenty- 

 three. Sixteen lots were ploughed. The land was hard, 

 somewhat stony, and adapted to exercise the highest skill of 

 holders and ploughs. The Michigan plough, with two coul- 

 ters, was much admired. The ploughing was creditable to all 

 the holders, and very attractive to the spectators. 



There were twenty-five entries for the trial of working oxen. 

 The load was stone, about two tons in weight, drawn up an 

 ascent in the highway of six or seven degrees, by single teams. 



The show of poultry was large, consisting of six hundred 

 specimens. Of fruit, there were 404 plates, with not less than 

 five specimens on each plate, and of bread, 102 loaves ; thirty 

 cheeses, and twenty-two lots of butter were also exhibited. 

 The other departments were well filled. 



