MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 443 



pointed. The change to this from the young, vigorous, and 

 enthusiastic society of Norfolk, whose exhibition I had attended 

 the day previously, at Dedham, was remarkable. Here as 

 there, all was activity and life, but calm ; and while the spec- 

 tator admired, he was struck with the apparent unconscious- 

 ness of the actors that they were doing anything out of the or- 

 dinary course of business. You would think that they had been 

 doing the same thing all their lives. Another striking differ- 

 ence was, that while, in Norfolk, many amateurs took part in 

 the matter, here almost all were, or appeared to be, practical 

 farmers. Salem, like Dedham, was full of people. Here as 

 there, all were intent on one thing, the cattle show; all, good 

 natured and obliging ; and every one seemed disposed to do his 

 share to make the day, which God had made so glorious, agree- 

 able to his fellow-men. 



The cattle pens were arranged in excellent order around the 

 public square. The number of animals was not so great as I 

 expected to see. Essex could do better, if she would, a'vi she 

 ought to do better. I saw none of those long strings of work- 

 ing oxen, such as the western counties are said to show. Essex 

 could make a good exhibition in that way. I saw, however, 

 in the pens, two pairs of working oxen, owned by Richard S. 

 Rogers, of Salem, which, on that day, were "wisely (?) kept 

 for show." They were noble looking animals — I think the 

 handsomest I ever saw. They ought to have been in the field, 

 and have tried their strength and skill with some dozen other 

 pairs of fine animals, well trained, who may well " stand on 

 tip-toe when that day is mentioned.*' 



Of cows I cannot remember any that struck me as specially 

 worthy to be handed down in history. The fat cattle were 

 neither numerous nor remarkable. Of bulls, were the Devon, 

 Ayrshire, Native, No-horns, and mixed breed, and some good 

 animals of each class. There were some fine specimens of 

 swine, and the show was, on the whole, very good. 



Horses and colts, a great number and many noble animals. 

 This was the best exhibition, in this department, that I have 

 ever seen in Eastern Massachusetts. The breeding mares ex- 

 hibited, do not promise well for the next generation. 



