450 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ance of soil and fidelity of culture, were exhibited in great 

 profusion. 



The products of the dairy, in fine specimens of butter and 

 cheese, also appeared to good advantage. In no part of the 

 Commonwealth, so far as my observation has extended, is the 

 making of cheese more successfully pursued than on the farms 

 of New Braintree and the towns adjoining. 



This society, like most others in the Commonwealth, still 

 continues to crowd its operations, at the annual exhibition, into 

 one day. The thought occurred to me, when passing hastily 

 from one object to another, — as was necessarily done, — whether 

 more time could not be beneficially used at these exhibitions. 

 What is worth doing at all is worth doing well. This con- 

 sideration was more fully impressed on a subsequent visit at 

 the show in Bristol County, which embraced two days, where 

 everything seemed to be done to the best advantage. The 

 conclusion to which I arrived on a view of these exhibitions, 

 as well as those of the society with which I have long been 

 connected in the county of Essex, is, that our agricultural 

 ■societies, under a proper subdivision of duties, can advanta- 

 geously make use of two days at their exhibitions. The first, 

 perhaps, in preparatory arrangements and in examinations by 

 the committees ; the second, in views by the people and assera- 

 ■blies for mutual instruction. 



A reference to the secretary's return, will show that the 

 number of animals presented was quite equal to that of former 

 years. This is highly gratifying, when it is considered that 

 within a short time, several new societies have grown up within 

 the limits of the original Worcester Society, almost rivalling 

 this in magnitude of exhibition. If " he who makes two 

 blades of grass to grow where but one grew before," is entitled 

 to be considered a public benefactor, we can see no good rea- 

 son why the rule should not apply to societies. Still, we 

 should regret the arrangement that would essentially mar or 

 impair the symmetry and completeness of any of our time- 

 honored associations. 



JOHN W. PROCTOR. 



