NORFOLK SOCIETY. 395 



Agricultural Implements. 



The committee on agricultural implements, regret, like their 

 predecessors of the years 1850 and 1851, that they are obliged 

 to report that few specimens were exhibited, and those of arti- 

 cles in common use among our farmers generally. They were 

 hay and manure forks, and potato diggers, from the manufac- 

 tories of Henry Partridge, Jr., of Medfield, and Francis Morse, 

 of South Dedham. The implements of Mr. Partridge have 

 long been familiar to the public, and their reputation has been 

 established by the testimony of the farmers of New England 

 and the principal agricultural societies of this and other States. 

 He has kept pace, not only with the improvements of others, 

 but has, in some material points, taken the lead in model and 

 design, so that his implements are not surpassed by those of 

 any other manufacturer. Those exhibited were clothed with 

 no extra finish, but were in the ordinary state of his wares 

 when sent to market. They exhibited a great advance in im- 

 provement as compared with those in use not many years 

 since, in shape, lightness and temper, and aflbrded the most 

 striking testimony of the aid rendered by mechanical skill and 

 ingenuity to the business of the farmer. The implements of 

 Mr. Morse were not only of the same general character as 

 those exhibited by Mr. Partridge, but were manufactured after 

 nearly the same models, and were nearly of the same descrip- 

 tion. They were of superior finish and of a high order of 

 workmanship. They were very beautiful in appearance and 

 attracted the attention of many spectators. The committee 

 have no reason to believe that they were not equal in temper 

 and all the characteristics of good implements with those 

 offered by Mr. Partridge, and found some difficulty in coming to 

 a conclusion upon the subject of awarding the premiums. The 

 historical reputation attached to those of Mr. Partridge, how- 

 ever, was permitted to have some weight, as the knov^n quali- 

 ties of his implements, which have been so long and highly 

 appreciated, could not be placed second to any others that had 

 not been as thoroughly tested by experience. The committee, 

 however, were well convinced of the merits of the articles 

 manufactured by Mr. Morse, and have no hesitation in ex- 



