120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



Ewes, over two years, 1st premium to Thomas Motley, Jr. 



Ewes, under two years, 2d, to Thomas Motley, Jr. 



Grade, or Cross Breeds. — Bucks, over two years, 1st premium to 

 R. S. Denny, of Clappville. 



Bucks, under two years, 1st premium to A. Kelly, of Auburn ; 2d, 

 to C. W. Gushing, of South Hingham. 



Ewes, over two years, 3d premium to A. Kelly. 



Sheep out of the State. — Messrs. Baldwin & Whittier, of Mont- 

 pelier, Vt., exhibited a Cotswold buck, which has not its equal, per- 

 haps, in the New England States. Weight, 350 lbs., and beautifully 

 proportioned. Deacon S. F. BufFum, of Winchester, N. H., also 

 exhibited specimens from his fold ; among which was a very fine New 

 Oxfordshire buck. To each of these animals your judges could not 

 refrain from awarding a discretionary premium of $10, their highest 

 award, accompanied with their thanks to the above mentioned gen- 

 tlemen for their notable additions to the show of stock. 



In assigning our reasons for the foregoing awards, we can sum up 

 all in very few words: the ribboned animals were, in our judgment, 

 the BEST siiEEP in the folds ; attention being paid in making our ver- 

 dict, to the fineness of the fleece and its adaptedness for working ; 

 and also to the points and qualities of the animals for the shambles. 



Mr. Gushing, of South Hingham, informed us that he gave his 

 sheep no grain, except a little to his bearing ewes in the spring. The 

 sheep he exhibited were a fine lot, thrifty and hardy, and their shep- 

 herd apparently inspirited with a laudable ambition to excel in his 

 occupation. This was also the case with Mr. Kelly, of Auburn, 

 whose stock showed their master's care and attention to their well- 

 being. He showed us a fine lot of thrifty-conditioned ewes, every 

 one of which produced last spring twins, and one of them triplet 

 lambs. We would make favorable mention of a full-blood Smyrna 

 buck, two years old, also exhibited by Mr. Kelly ; average weight of 

 fleece, twenty pounds. Also, of a couple of ewe lambs entered by 

 Mr. Denny, of Glappville, (Leicester,) very fine animals. 



A remark to one of the shepherds by one of the judges: "Your 

 slieep are your most profitable stock," is one which commends itself 

 to the consideration of every practical, progressive farmer. The day 

 has gone by in Massachusetts, when every farmer, with here and 

 there an exception, kept some sheep, from a " stocking-wool " stock, 

 to a flock of scores. The unsettled and see-sawing policy of govern- 

 ment in years agone, on the " tariff"' question, may, perhaps, be 

 looked to as the primary cause of this great decline in our wool- 

 growing interest. There is a proverb common with the people, " keep 

 a thing seven years and you will want it." Those of our shepherds 



