MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 687 



we found a cordial and welcome greeting from the officers of 

 the society, and other citizens of Amherst. We saw enor- 

 mously long strings of fine oxen with which they are wont to 

 fill the common on such occasions, and the fine specimens of 

 other cattle of various races, ages and qualities ; fine horses in 

 large numbers, good hogs, some sheep, and a multitude of the 

 hen family. Two large halls, filled with fruits, flowers, vege- 

 tables, grains, agricultural implements, and the various em- 

 blems and productions of mechanical skill, were opened to 

 us. Here, also, were found the bread and butter, showing, 

 to our full satisfaction, that the Hampshire ladies well 

 know which side their bread is buttered. Here, also, were 

 gathered the ten thousand other productions of female skill 

 and ingenuity. 



The Hampshire Society devote but one day to their exhibi- 

 tion. We were there and reported present in good season. 

 We were first conducted to the exhibition of horses. Between 

 one and two hundred in all were before the committee. They 

 were viewed both standing and in motion, while some hun- 

 dreds of people were present. The show honored the society. 

 Time allowed but a glance at this lively scene, and we were 

 off to the ploughing match. Our first feeling as we entered 

 the field was surprise at the comparatively small number 

 of spectators, — a few hundreds, — while the ploughing match 

 often brings out thousands. On a fair piece of meadow, a 

 very good number of teams, some of horses, some of a single 

 pair of cattle, and others of more than one, had already made 

 considerable progress in their work. The teams were decided- 

 ly good, the ploughs were some of the very best, including the 

 Michigan or double sod and subsoil ploughs, both of Ruggles 

 & Co. and Prouty & Co., and the work, generally, well done in 

 all respects. We noticed one thing we had not before seen. 

 Each ploughman had a person to drive his team. Single 

 teams, well trained, do not require this. If the training is so 

 imperfect as to require this, it is an important practical item, 

 and should be considered in making the awards. 



After passing rapidly among the stock of various kinds, we 

 entered the hall where the fruits, and also the lighter works of 

 art were displayed. The crowd here was so great that one 



