ESSEX SOCIETY. 15 



William G. Lake, of Topsfield, presented three female pigs, 

 for the prizes offered for breeding sows, but your committee, 

 in consideration of their youth, and inexperience in the per- 

 formance of matronly duties, could not seriously consider them 

 competitors for those prizes, and they hope the young females 

 will not take offence at this report. 



William Poor, of Andover, offered a native soav, with a very 

 fine litter of nine pigs. 



The committee award to Josiah Crosby, of Andover, for the 

 best breeding sow, the first prize, of . . . $5 00 



To F. Boyden, of Topsfield, for the second best, a pre- 

 mium of . . . . . . 3 00 



There were four competitors for the prizes offered for the 

 best litter of pigs, not less than four. 



■ James Stevens, of Andover, presented four weaned pigs, five 

 and a half months old, which were beautiful animals. 



Charles Rowell, of Salisbury, offered four weaned pigs, 

 which, from their beauty and apparent excellence, ought to, 

 and would, against any common competition, receive the 

 highest prize. 



Henry A. Gould, of Andover, presented four swine, which 

 caused much trouble to the committee. The question is, at 

 what period in the life of swine, do pighood and hoghood 

 commence ? The said swine, as your committee were in- 

 formed, were born on the 31st of March last, at 4 o'clock in 

 the afternoon. They presented, in their appearance, marks of 

 unusual maturity for animals of the age the day of their birth 

 would seem to indicate. Your committee finally determined 

 that it would be improper for them to attempt to go behind 

 the information they had received; and although these swine, 

 from their size and appearance, sSemed to have arrived at the 

 age of mature hoghood, the committee award to Henry A. 

 Gould, for the best litter of weaned pigs not less than four, 

 from two to six months old, a premium of . . $6 00 



To William H. Balch, of Topsfield, for the second best, 



a premium of . . . . . . 3 00 



There were several fine specimens of swine offered for show, 

 not for premium, whose owners are entitled to the thanks of 

 the society for the trouble they have taken to add to the inter- 

 est of the exhibition. 



