MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 459 



Exhibition of the Hampden Society. 



In presenting a report of the exhibition of this society, I 

 have to offer only such information as I could obtain from 

 others who were present. It was held at Springfield, on the 

 first and second days of October, under all the advantages of 

 pleasant weather and facility of access to that flourishing town. 

 Never, it is said, was the county of Hampden better repre- 

 sented, at any former exhibition, in number or quality, by men 

 and women, and animals, vegetables and articles of domestic 

 manufacture. Young men and maidens, old men and children, 

 from diff'erent parts of the county, members of the society and 

 transient visitors, spent two delightful holidays, in a manner 

 appropriate to the high character of the community, and to the 

 purpose for which they had come together. 



Thue were 82 entries of horses ; 17 of bulls ; 12 of milch 

 cows ; 26 of heifers ; 49 of working oxen ; 18 of steers ; 20 of 

 fat cattle ; 20 of sheep ; 26 of swine ; 60 of fowls ; 16 for the 

 ploughing match ; 35 of butter, cheese and honey ; 18 of 

 bread ; 300 of vegetables ; 298 of fruits and flowers ; 76 of 

 domestic manufactures ; 28 of mechanic arts ; 4 of farming 

 tools ; 20 paintings and daguerreotypes ; 45 of children's, and 

 fancy, and worsted work ; 1 of tobacco ; 10 orchards ; in all, 

 1179 entries. 



This enumeration is of itself sufficient to show that the 

 spirit of agricultural improvement is awake in Hampden, and, 

 as compared with past years, is gathering force, promising, in 

 time, to possess the whole county. 



The arrangements made by the directors for the accommo- 

 dation of the numerous animals, and the articles generally, 

 appear to have been judicious and satisfactory. The oxen and 

 cattle generally were excellent, both in size and beauty of form, 

 and fully sustained the credit of old Hampshire in general, and 

 Hampden in particular, distinguished as they have been for fine 

 cattle. One pair of oxen weighed 5000 pounds, and there were 

 twelve head that weighed each from 2200 pounds to 2500 pounds- 

 each. A number of very fine cattle were from Westfield. 

 Some of the milch cows were uncommonly good. The one 



