X REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



exhibition could be sustained, and in most instances the ploughing 



"was well done. In the sheep department and the swine also were 



good specimens, but not extensive in numbers. I come now to the 



hall, and find that the ?af7^e5 by their handiwork have vied with their 



liege lords to sustain their part of the exhibition, and I would say 



it was well sustained. In needle-work and in flowers a large variety 



of articles was found to delight the eye and to create a study of 



the beautiful in nature and art. 



The dinner in the hall and feast of reason followed, where the 



members and their wives gather around the festive board and 



annually renew the social relations already formed. This part of 



the programme is evidently an institutition of eastern and central 



Massachusetts instead of Berkshire County. The morning of the 



second day was very rainy, so much so that the exercises were 



adjourned for one day, and your delegate could not remain to 



report upon the close. 



T. D. Thatcher. 



WORCESTER NORTH-WEST. 



The annual exhibition of the Worcester North-West Agi'icul- 

 tural Society was held at Athol, on Tuesday, September 15th, 1868. 

 The interest manifested in this exhibition was highly creditable to 

 those interested in the agriculture of this section of the Common- 

 wealth. No enclosed gi-ounds having yet been provided by the 

 society, the exhibition occupied the village green, which was 

 thronged by a multitude of people carefully examining the speci- 

 mens of cattle and horses which had been collected there. The 

 appearance of these animals was good. Had the bulls on exhibi- 

 tion been pure-bred animals of any specific breed, it would have 

 been more gratifying to your delegate ; and he hopes and believes 

 that the funds of this society will be devoted in some measure to 

 the encouragement of that class of animals which will improve the 

 herds of this section. The appearance of the cows and heifers 

 was quite creditable, those from Athol, Phillipston and Royalston 

 being particularly noticeable. Of working oxen there was an 

 'excellent collection. And the care with which these cattle had 

 been trained, both by the farmers themselves and by their boys, 

 was highly gratifying. The towns of Phillipston and Royalston 

 exhibited large town teams of valuable cattle. A very good col- 

 lection of horses of all work was exhibited, as well as some valuable 

 'breeding mares and colts. The hall was remarkably well filled 



