MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 685 



was a pair of oxen, owned by Mr. Consider Arms, of Conway, 

 weighing 5,500 lbs., the finest pair of fat cattle I have ever seen. 



Of horses I was informed that there were more than forty 

 entries. Those animals were exhibited to great advantage in 

 an assigned portion of the public street. They were put 

 through their paces in harness and under the saddle, and afford- 

 ed the committee a much better opportunity to judge of their 

 qualities than is found when they are confined in the pens, as 

 is usual in most counties. An exhibition of that most interest- 

 ing and valuable animal both in repose and in motion would 

 be an improvement upon either mode by itself. Among them 

 were some horses of rare beauty. 



I was unable to attend the drawing match, which was said 

 to have been well contested by about twenty teams. 



The ploughing match, which is usually so attractive a fea- 

 ture in our exhibitions, was a failure. Instead of the large 

 number of competitors which I had expected to see, only seven 

 teams entered the lists. From some cause which I cannot ex- 

 plain, the proprietors of all ploughs but Ruggles, Nourse & 

 Mason's withdrew from the contest. The few who remained 

 performed their work well. 



At the town hall, the exhibition of fruits, vegetables, the 

 products of the dairy, fancy articles, domestic manufactures, 

 the mechanic arts, &c., was of the most gratifying character. 



It has been a fault that our farmers have been unwilling: to 

 present specimens of the common products of the farm. That 

 fault extends in some degree to Franklin County. A con- 

 siderable quantity of vegetables, however, was exhibited, but 

 little space was allowed them. The object seemed to be to 

 exhibit specimens of monstrous growth rather than fair sam- 

 ples of staple crops. An improvement might be made in that 

 respect in all our societies, including the leading horticultural 

 society in the State. 



The exhibition of apples was admirable, showing that the 

 county is well adapted to the growth of that most valuable of 

 our fruits. The varieties were numerous and the qualities of 

 each excellent. Of pears, peaches and grapes but few were on 

 the tables, and those not of remarkable quality. 



In butter, cheese, bread, various articles of domestic manu- 

 facture, and in the mechanic arts, the exhibition was rich. 



