162 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



to eat pork, fearing that the so-called liog-cliolera of the West 

 has been introduced by tlie importation of swine from that 

 region. We would respectfully suggest that farmers should 

 carefully note any important facts that come to their knowl- 

 edge, with a view to the formation of a matured and intelligent 

 opinion respecting a class of disorders, from which serious 

 losses have arisen this present year. 



The rich and flourishing county of Norfolk did itself injustice 

 at our late fair. The wealthy towns of Brookline, Dorchester 

 and Roxbury, the really good farming towns of Dedham, Med- 

 field and Medway, and a dozen half agricultural and half manu- 

 facturing places, failed to make an exhibition of their respective 

 productions at all commensurate with their ability, with their 

 intelligence, or their real interest in farming. The men and 

 women were out in strong force ; but the working oxen, the 

 fat cattle, the milk-cows, the pigs and colts, the agricultural 

 implements — objects which give life and interest to the show — 

 were sparingly exhibited. This is much to be lamented ; for, 

 if our experience proves any thing, it is that fairs exert a moral 

 and professional influence in proportion to the evidences they 

 exhibit of industry, skill and progress. Many farmers appear 

 to think that unless they exhibit some thing of the very first 

 quality, some thing that is sure of a premium, their time and 

 labor is lost, and are often deterred from exhibiting what they 

 have, lest some body else should have some thing better. If 

 this idea were fully carried out, very few would contribute. 

 In every town are forty or fifty farmers who have fine oxen, 

 cows or pigs, horses or colts, or specimens of good corn, pota- 

 toes or butter. They may not in all cases be the best, but if 

 exhibited, would })resent the average condition or the actual 

 condition of agriculture in the county, besides furnishing evi- 

 dence of the interest felt by individual farmers. What an 

 exhilaration would be produced by the spectacle of a hundred 

 yoke of good working oxen, as many milch co^vs and heifers, 

 and specimens of the produce of a hundred dairies. And if 

 this intention were .cherished from the beginning of the year, 

 if the farmer instead of trusting to a few weeks' effort, just 

 before the fair, for the sake of obtaining a premium, should 

 bear in mind through the whole season the duty of presenting 



