APPENDIX. XXV 



the finest that I saw at any fair that I attended during the foil, not 

 excepting the New York State, held at Elmira; and the other de-' 

 partraents in the hall were well represented. 



The Haydenville brass band fm-nished most acceptable music, 

 and this always adds largely to the interest of all public occasions. 

 The attendance was very large, upwards of five thousand we should 

 judge, notwithstanding the bad condition of the roads, and the 

 necessity in many cases of going a long way around on account of 

 missing bridges. 



The management of this Society is at present in the hands of 

 thorough-going, practical and successful fiirmers, and who by their 

 own success are rendered doubly fit to manage for the jjublic ; and 

 as I left, I did so with the sincere wish that the worthy and vener- 

 able president, Mr. Milo J. Smith, might be spared and allowed to 

 preside over many fairs, and all as successful as the one then draw- 

 ing to a close ; also, the gentlemanly and courteous secretary, Mr. 

 Elnathan Graves. G. T. Plunkett. 



HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY. 



The annual exhibition of the Hampshire Agricultural Society, 

 was held at Amherst, September 28tli and 29th. The location of 

 this Society, in the neighborhood of the Agricultural College, gives 

 its operations unusual interest to the farmer ; and there can be no 

 doubt that the character of its exhibitions will ultimately be mate- 

 rially influenced by the investigations carried on at that institution. 

 The exhibition, as examined by your delegate was a good one. 

 The show of working oxen was, as usual in that section, worthy of 

 careful attention ; and it was j^eculiarly gratifying to witness the 

 interest taken by the members of the Society, in this most useful, 

 and now too much neglected form of animal labor for the farm. 

 The value of a good working ox should not be overlooked. Not 

 only is he important in the general business of the farm, but that 

 form best adapted to labor, is usually attended by those qualities 

 of thrift, and shape, and constitution, which are to be found in ani- 

 mals best fitted for the shambles. It is encouraging, therefore, to 

 witness all endeavors to keep our working oxen up to the standard 

 of a solid, well-made animal. A farm well supplied with cattle of 

 this description, has generally been conducted in a thrifty and 

 profitable manner. And it is to be hoped that a good ox-team will 

 continue to be the pride of the New England farmer. 

 d 



