1858.] SENATE— No. 4. 265 



The first clay was devoted to the exhibition of all animals 

 except horses, all articles of manufacture, agricultural and hor- 

 ticultural productions, agricultural implements, &c. 



The show of neat stock, as a whole, was excellent, embracing 

 about 250 animals ; a large proportion of them were apparently 

 of mixed breed, showing, generally, in a greater or less degree, 

 the mark of Durham blood ; there were some fine blood ani- 

 mals of the Durham, Devon, and Ayrshire breeds ; there were 

 but six yoke of fat oxen, some of them very good, particularly 

 a pair owned by Mr. Enos Nourse, of Lanesborough, and also 

 a pair of four years old, weighing upwards of -1,700 lbs., owned 

 by George S. Willis, of Pittsfield. 



Of milch cows there were about 20, mostly of fine appear- 

 ance ; one of them presented by fl. E. Chickering, Esq., of 

 Pittsfield, in the third week in June, gave 309 lbs. of milk, 

 from which was made 21 lbs. 3 oz. of butter, and in the third 

 week in September, 16 lbs. 2 oz. There were about 30 bulls 

 on exhibition, some few of them of good appearance, but gen- 

 erally they were by no means extra. Of working oxen there 

 were 22 yoke, all very good in appearance. 



The show of sheep embraced many superior animals of the 

 Leicester, South Down, French and Spanish Merino, and native 

 breeds. Of swine there was a good display, and also of poultry. 



The exhibition of agricultural and horticultural productions, 

 manufactures and fancy articles, was in the society's hall, and 

 continued through the first two days of the fair. 



The show of vegetables, fruits and flowers, though not large, 

 was quite fair. The varieties of apples and pears were not 

 numerous, but there were several fine specimens. Many sam- 

 ples of grain were on exhibition, and notwithstanding the season 

 was so unfavorable for its growth, there were thirty-six entries 

 of corn for premium. To John M. Cook, of Lenox, was awarded 

 the society's first premium for best acre ; and in the committee's 

 report, they express a belief " that it cannot be beat in the 

 State. It weighed 80| lbs. to the square rod." If this rod wasa 

 fair average of the whole acre, and the corn in a fit state for 

 harvesting, after making a liberal allowance for shrinkage, it 

 must have produced not much, if any, less than 170 bushels to 

 the acre. 



The butter and cheese on exhibition was of excellent quality 



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