MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 707 



MR. SPRAGUE'S REPORT. 



EXHIBITION OF THE BARNSTABLE SOCIETY. 



The Annual Fair of the Barnstable County Agricultural 

 Society was held at Sandwich, on the 13th of October last. 

 A cold north-east wind and the threatening aspect of the 

 weather may have prevented many from attending with their 

 offerings. However, there was a respectable number of people 

 present. 



My attention was first directed to the place allotted for the 

 stock, which was well arranged, with a set of beautiful, new 

 and well-constructed pens. They were not so well filled, how- 

 ever, as we had hoped to see ; but the few animals that were 

 exhibited, gave evidence of the ability of that part of the 

 country to compete with more favored counties. 



There were good oxen, good cows, young cattle, and a 

 pair of very large, round-bodied, beautiful steers. A bull was 

 pointed out to us, belonging to the society, as being of pure 

 Ayrshire blood, whose color and general appearance was not 

 such as we have before seen. 



There were present a goodly number of horses and colts, a 

 few sheep and swine, and several lots of fowls. Of the quality 

 of this part of the exhibition, we do not pretend to judge, as 

 we have no great fancy for the flat-breasted, long-legged, awk- 

 ward birds, now held in such esteem. To us, our full-breasted, 

 well-formed, lively, native fowls, look far better. 



The ploughing match was to come off" at ten o'clock, but 

 did not commence until after eleven. There entered the list, 

 five single ox teams and two horse teams, all having drivers 

 excepting one. The contest was spirited. The ploughmen 

 exhibited much skill and activity, and, considering the nature 

 of the ground, which was not favorable to smooth work, it was 

 well done. Most of the ploughs were small and short, and all, 

 with one exception, without wheels, — such as we did not con- 

 sider the best for ploughing greensward. The oxen were of 

 good size, and some of them superior ; but the yokes, some of 

 them, we thought small and unsuitable for the size of the 

 cattle. Their discipline did not appear to have been perfect. 



