xl REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



Your delegate would acknowledge the courtesy and attention 

 extended by the officers of the Society and many others. 



John Johnson, Jr. 

 Framingham, January 26, 1870. 



BRISTOL CENTRAL. 



This exhibition was held the 23d, 24th and 25th of September. 

 The weather was such as to inspire all those interested in the ex- 

 hibition, and such a collection of people is rarely seen at our cat- 

 tle shows. 



The attention of your delegate was first directed to the ploughing 

 match, where horses and oxen displayed their training, and their 

 drivers showed their skill in turning up the green sward. They 

 labored under the difficulty of having wet ground and a poor and 

 weak sward. The teams were prompt, and the work as well done 

 as could be expected in such ground. My own, and the interest of 

 others, was drawn to the trial of the strength of the various teams. 

 There was a novel feature here. Instead of pushing or drawing the 

 load up an abrupt inclined plane^ they had blocks of stone thrown 

 under the wheels. This seemed to impede the lighter cattle more 

 in proportion than the heavier ones, but tested well the evenness 

 of matching. But we confess that both horses and oxen not only 

 showed great muscular j^ower, but a skill in using it, and a courage 

 which reflect great credit on the intelligence, humanity and care of 

 their owners or drivers. 



The procession of twenty pairs of finely matched work-horses from 

 Fall River ; thirty-one pairs of oxen and steers from Taunton ; and 

 twenty-five from Lakeville, with other fine teams, made a grand 

 display, and^had an amusing feature added, of a pair of fine heifers 

 attached to a wagon and driven by their owner like horses. From 

 this my attention was turned to the stock on exhibition, and I feel 

 the show of breeding mares and colts was worthy of the attention 

 of any persons interested in speed, endurance and action of the 

 horse. The carriage horses and matched teams exhibited a rich- 

 ness of blood and careful breeding, that leads us to feel that the ex- 

 hibitors are honoring our State by their selection and breeding, as 

 well as making their own exhibition so creditable. 



The fat oxen were also remarkable for size and weight. Some 

 pairs weighed as high as five thousand pounds each. 



The working oxen were not numerous nor large sized, but gener- 



