MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 693 



multitude of admirers of the movements of these animals. 

 Never have we seen them exercised to better advantage. If we 

 do not mistake, Berkshire is entitled to a prominent position 

 in this department. It was well remarked by the committee, 

 in regard to the competition for these premiums : " The prin- 

 cipal benefit is not the taking of the prizes, even though much 

 larger than they are. It is the bringing the animals to the 

 notice of thousands, to whom they would otherwise never be 

 known." 



The hall for the exhibition of articles of manufacture, fruits, 

 flowers, &c., was crowded to its full extent, evincing not only 

 the abundance of the supply, but the necessity for enlarged 

 accommodations. Much is to be learned in this department 

 of the exhibition. It is viewed with interest by all, especially 

 by the ladies, where the works of their own hands are displayed. 

 And why should they not be displayed ? With a proper ar- 

 rangement, and a small admission fee, cheerfully paid, it may 

 readily be made a remunerating department. We have known 

 societies who realized enough from their hall for the exhibition 

 of manufactured articles, &c., to pay all their premiums for the 

 season. It is a perfectly fair mode of balancing the account. 



On the morning of the second day all hands were on the 

 alert for the ploughing field. There were entered twenty teams 

 — twelve with pairs of horses, eight with pairs of oxen, without 

 drivers. To each was assigned one-quarter of an acre, to be 

 ploughed in fifty minutes, (one hour would have been a better 

 time,) with a furrow slice not less than six inches deep nor 

 more than twelve inches wide ; to be laid flat by the horse 

 teams, and lapjjed by the ox teams, that opportunity might be 

 given, in the cultivation of the land, to compare the benefits of 

 the difierent modes of laying the furrow slice. The field was 

 well adapted to the experiment, excepting a want of proper 

 tenacity in the sod, a material consideration in judging of the 

 operations of different ploughs. Where land is so abundant, 

 it would seem to be easy to secure a field which is exactly fit- 

 ted for the purpose, by proper attention in season. We forbear 

 to extend remarks on the ploughing, as full justice will be done 

 by the discriminating judgment of the chairman of the commit- 

 tee, (Judge Bishop.) We were gratified to find, in conspicuous 

 position, our favorite implement, the Michigan Sod and Subsoil 



