APPENDIX. ix 



untiring zeal for its prosperity. And we were impressed with the fact 

 that mankind are sympathizing beings, and that the life and genial good 

 farmer feeling of the president extended its influence, and was recipro- 

 cated by the happy and interested spirit of all present. There was so 

 much crowded into so short a space of time, that we could not do much 

 more than to give each a passing glance. A brief examination through 

 the hall gave us a view of some one hundred and seventy-seven different 

 specimens of needle-work, wrought with great taste and skill, into 

 various forms and fabrics, both useful and ornamental, embracing 

 afFghans, pictures, rugs, quilts, blankets, shirts, skirts, case hair work, 

 wood carvings, hose, needle-work, mats, shawls, ottomans, coverlids, 

 worked collars, fancy baskets, bouquets, tidies, wreaths, sofa pillows, 

 embroidery, toilet cushions, boxes, slippers, crickets, — all beautiful to 

 behold and dazzling to the eye, but less so than the fair countenances of 

 those whose fair hand had wrought the fabrics, and were now inspecting 

 each other's labors. Of bread, there were forty-four entries, and the. 

 show there indicated that the ladies could make good bread, as well as 

 ornamental work. The first prize was taken by Mrs. Levi Hancock, 

 and we were informed she had taken the first premiums for three suc- 

 cessive years. We noticed that the society wished to make good bread- 

 makers of the' young ladies, as there was a premium offered the lady, 

 unmarried, and under twenty years old, Avho should make the best 

 bread, which premium was taken by one who had been under the 

 instruction of the former named competitor. There were five entries 

 of butter. We saw no cheese. There were eighteen entries of apples ; 

 twenty-six of pears ; and thirty-two of grapes, plums and peaches. The 

 show of apples, pears, and grapes was very good. The best show of 

 vegetables was awarded to Elijah Corliss, of Bellerica. For the best 

 show of vegetables raised by a lad under sixteen, who performed all of 

 the labor, the award was given to Albert J. Swan, of Lowell. After 

 the hasty inspection of the hall, we witnessed the ploughing of some 

 twelve teams. The woi'k was well done, considering that the ground 

 was too dry to plough to the best advantage. We noticed the side-hill 

 plough working on level ground, — did not come up to our expectation. 

 The interest of spectators in the ploughing, and also in the trial of draft 

 oxen, was greater than we usually see, which, we think, may be 

 accounted for, in part, by the fad that there were no horses to show 

 their speed that day, and most live Yankees like to see things in motion. 

 The trial of draft-oxen was very nicely done, by loading a cart with 

 about two tons of stone, making a load that would be readily handled, 

 and on which oxen could show training, and the driver could show his 

 skill. Unlike what I saw at a show durincr the fall, where a stone-boat 

 was loaded mountain high with stone, to the extent that no yoke of oxen 

 b 



