452 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Exhibition of Worcester West Society. 



The couaty of Worcester is so large in extent, that the 

 outermost towns on her western border are distant from the 

 town of Worcester, where the shows of the county society 

 are held, more than twenty miles. The roads, too, leading 

 thither, are over many hills. So that the driving of animals, 

 especially fat cattle and new milch cows, was a matter of risk, 

 of expense, and of loss of time. Hence, ten towns, Barre, 

 Phillipston, Petersham, Dana, Hard wick. New Braintree, Hub- 

 bardston, Oakham, Dana, and one other town, were either un- 

 represented at the county show, or appeared at great disadvan- 

 tage, beside the towns less remote. 



This whole region of country is celebrated for its fine fat 

 cattle, and for its working oxen and milch cows ; its farmers 

 have a laudable desire to exhibit their stock for inspection and 

 comparison, and they determined to erect a new society within 

 the county limits. An act of incorporation has been procured ; 

 a large sum of money has been subscribed, enough to entitle 

 them to the bounty of the Commonwealth; a fine lot of land 

 has been donated by an enterprising inhabitant of Barre, and 

 on the first day of October last was held the first show of the 

 new society. 



At an early hour, long lines of neat kine appeared on the 

 ground and took their appointed positions for the day. Swine 

 grunted their gratification that they were to be pronounced 

 upon, unsalted and unboiled. The fowls noisily greeted the 

 assembling crowd. By and by, to the sound of spirit-stirring 

 music, a long cavalcade of horsemen and led horses unrolled 

 upon the plain. The Green Mountain Morgan exhibited his 

 unequalled face in the van, and behind him appeared his pro- 

 geny, fine scions of an illustrious stock. The display of horses 

 attracted universal attention and admiration. At ten o'clock 

 there was a fine trot around the common, open to all comers. 

 Ninety yoke of cattle in fine condition appeared to compete 

 for the premium of excellence ; and of these there were but 

 two yoke that would not have been creditable to any farmer. 

 Of swine and sheep, the show was very select, but smaller than 



