ESSEX SOCIETY. 



ESSEX COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In accordance with the wishes of many of the members of 

 this society, the experiment was this year made of holding its 

 annual cattle show and fair during two days. The experi- 

 ment was completely successful. The exhibition came oft' on 

 Wednesday and Thursday, the 29th and 30th of September 

 last, at Lawrence. The first day was appropriated to the 

 examination, by the committees, of the stock and articles 

 entered for premiums, and the second to the ploughing match, 

 the trial of working oxen, the annual meeting and dinner of 

 the society, and the award of premiums. The show of ani- 

 mals was continued through both days. The hall of exhibi- 

 tion was opened to the public on the evening of "Wednesday 

 and the whole of Thursday. Over seven thousand persons 

 were admitted to the hall, on payment of the sum of ten cents 

 each. 



The show of fruits, particularly of apples, was unusually 

 large and fine. Nearly all the new and valuable varieties raised 

 in New England, were exhibited, and at the same time numer- 

 ous specimens of our native standard varieties, thus giving 

 evidence that our cultivators, though disposed to test new va- 

 rieties of fruit, are not so captivated by novelties, as to give up 

 the cultivation — and the extensive cultivation, of what has 

 uniformly proved productive and profitable. In the show of 

 vegetables, there was some improvement over former years, 

 but by no means such an improvement as should mark our. 

 exhibitions, nor such as is worthy of the county. We can- 

 not but hope that this department will, at the next annual 

 fair, receive, as it deserves, the liberal and enthusiastic sup- 

 port of the far-famed market gardeners of Danvers, of Mar- 

 blehead, of Beverly, and other towns in the ounty. We fear 

 that, in this respect, we are better known in the Boston market 



