684 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The Cattle Show and Exhibition of the Franklin County- 

 Agricultural Society were held at Greenfield, on the 29th and 

 30th days of September. I reached the town at about half-past 

 eleven o'clock of the first day. I found the streets filled with 

 people, all bound in one direction, and evidently intent upon 

 some interesting objects. Arrived at the points of attraction, 

 my attention was first called to a large number of very hand- 

 some oxen in the yoke. They had apparently been connected 

 in regular column, but were then about taking their departure 

 from the field in larger or smaller detachments, some of them 

 to take part in the drawing match. Many, it was said, had 

 already gone. I should judge that there were then upon the 

 ground at least sixty pairs. The town teams were, to me, a 

 novel and interesting sight. I was told that Shelburne furnish- 

 ed 44, and Conway 24 yokes, and that fewer towns exhibited 

 than on former occasions. 



Of domestic fowls, a few specimens were exhibited, of ex- 

 cellent quality. 



The swine were not numerous nor remarkable. Their breed 

 was not stated, nor was I able to detect it. Some of them 

 were fine animals. 



Of sheep there was not a great number, but they were more 

 numerous than we usually find in the eastern counties, and 

 some were of great merit. 



In the exhibition of milch cows, I was disappointed. I knew 

 that Franklin County was a good grazing country, and I ex- 

 pected to see a large number of cows of prime quality. I think 

 not more than half a dozen were on exhibition, and none of 

 them struck me as of extraordinary merit. I heard some rea- 

 sons suggested why that part of the exhibition was not better, 

 and among others, the extreme drought of the summer. But, 

 after all allowances, the farmers of the county did not do 

 themselves justice in that particular. 



In heifers and steers the show was equal to any that I have 

 seen. There were some 10 or 12 bulls in the pens, of various 

 ages and sizes, but none that appeared to me remarkable for 

 their good points. In so good a farming district, I should have 

 been gratified to find evidence of greater attention to the quali- 

 ties of breeding stock. 



The fat cattle were not numerous, but good. Among them 



