MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 463 



visit to the county of Franklin will long be remembered by us 

 with pleasure, as among the most agreeable events of our life. 



JOHNSON GARDNER. 



Exhibition of the Hampshire Society. 



In pursuance of the duty assigned, to visit the Hampshire 

 Agricultural Society, your delegate proceeded to Amherst, where 

 he met with a cordial reception and was most hospitably enter- 

 tained during his stay. Every facility was afforded by the 

 government of the association, for examination of all depart- 

 ments of its extensive and interesting exhibition. The excel- 

 lence and variety of the contributions, were gratifying and en- 

 couraging. The whole show was honorable to the society, 

 especially to the officers and committees, upon whom devolved 

 the laborious duties of superintendence. 



It was particularly cheering to all, who have at heart the 

 advancement of agriculture, to witness the large number of pro- 

 fessional gentlemen, for which Amherst is so celebrated, com- 

 ing forward with a helping hand, and cooperating with the 

 intelligent farmers of Hampshire county, in behalf of an insti- 

 tution for the promotion of that most important and useful 

 pursuit, the culture of mother earth. 



Located as the Hampshire Society is, in the immediate vicin- 

 ity of one of the colleges of our beloved Commonwealth, — 

 a college celebrated for its attention to the natural sciences, — 

 and in the valley of the Connecticut river, where the soil is 

 remarkably productive and well adapted to the raising of cat- 

 tle and of agricultural products, there can scarcely a doubt 

 arise, that the Hampshire Society will at once take and easily 

 maintain an elevated rank among kindred institutions. In truth, 

 high as were our expectations, the society's exhibition very far 

 surpassed them. 



It was, also, a source of great satisfaction to notice the lively 

 interest manifested by the ladies — not only the wives and 

 daughters of the farmers, but of other classes — who, as repre- 



