xxsviii REPORTS OP DELEGATES. 



can now, through the providence of God, and the blood of our brave 

 and gallant sons, boast of the greatest boon to a people — Freedom. 

 We return to Readville not to hear the tramp of camp life, but 

 rather the lowing, neighing, bleating, and cackling of our domestic 

 animals. 



On arriving at the fair grounds we were met by the Society's 

 repi-esentative. Colonel Stone, who was untiring in his attentions 

 during our visit. May the blessing of God attend him and his. 



The Society bought and moved on to the east line of its ground 

 several of the old barracks, which had been used on the old camp 

 ground and fitted them up, some for show rooms for the exhibition 

 of the difierent articles and j^roducts presented ; others are used for 

 stabling and stalls for horses on exhibition. Probably no society in 

 the State has as good an arrangement for show rooms and stabling. 

 The Society have built a very fine half mile track, which is used 

 principally for the trial of horse speed; connected with the track is 

 the judges' stand and the grand stand opposite. 



The horse department was divided into five classes — these classes 

 into several divisions. Class A, roadsters, consisted of five divi- 

 sions ; in this class there were nineteen entries. Class B, ho;'ses 

 of all work, eighteen entries were made. Class C, family horses, 

 twenty-four entries reported in this class. Class D, draught or team 

 horses ; this class consisted of ten entries, all of which were very 

 attractive. The fifth class was made up of trotters, or sporting 

 horses. The celebrated trotting horse, Garibaldi, passed around the 

 half-mile track in 1.18. The collection of stock was large and well 

 represented in all the departments. Tlie most noticeable amongst 

 the bulls was the imported Jersey " Jack Horner," owned by W. 

 M. Mack, of Dorchester ; the Ayrshire owned by J. W. Gay, of Ded- 

 ham ; and the Alderneys of Hon. J. S. Eldridge, president of the 

 Society. Your delegate was not a little surprised to learn that the 

 Norfolk Society still continue to ofier premiums for grade bulls ; in 

 this respect Norfolk is behind. We should always breed from pure- 

 bred males ; in this way we bi-eed strength ; with grade, weakness. 

 Mr. Eldridge exhibited a herd of Jerseys, thirty in number ; in this 

 herd were some of the finest Jersey heifers I have ever seen.. To 

 this herd was awarded the first premium, the Wilde)- Cup. 



The show of stock was very creditable being represented by fine 

 specimens of each of the difierent breeds, although the unmistak- 

 able marks of that grade bull ai-e seen in too many instances. 



The collection of swine was very fine. Mr. John Sias, of Milton, 

 exhibited a Mackay sow, four years old, which has had one hun- 

 dred and three pigs; other fine specimens were also exhibited. 



