APPENDIX. xvii 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



The fiftieth annual cattle show of the Hampshire, Franklin and 

 Hampden Agricultural Society was held at Northampton, October 

 1st and 2d. 



Notwithstanding a cold north-east wind and threatening rain, 

 rendering the out-door exercises uncomfortable, there was the usual 

 number of spectators present. 



My visit here was unexpected, but I soon met the ofiicers of the 

 society who spared no pains to render my attendance agreeable. I 

 also learned that the regular appointee, Mr. Davis, of Pl^iuouth, 

 had failed to honor the old Hampshire and Hampden with his pres- 

 ence as a delegate, and my services as a reporter were solicited. 



The exhibition in the hall was not as good as in some former 

 years, but a commendable display was before us, bread, butter, 

 cheese, and honey, fruit, and flowers, attracting much attention, 

 and reflecting credit on the contributors. Of vegetables there were 

 many, doing honor to the exhibition and the producers. 



Among domestic manufactures I noticed rag cai-pets, not only 

 useful, but ornamental, numerous bedquilts and counterpanes, in 

 design curious and attractive, in workmanship perfect and highly 

 demonstrative of the ingenuity and patience of woman. In the 

 domain of fancy work there was spread before us embroidery, bead 

 work, tatting, worsted and hair flowers, &c., &c., in quantity and 

 quality remarkable, for which we add, God bless the ladies. 



In the miscellaneous department there were stoves, boots, pocket- 

 books, hand-hoes, and handcufis, pickaxes, bread-cutters, and meat- 

 choppers, clothes-washers and wringers, that wash eight shirts in 

 ten minutes, and chums, that make butter in less than half that 

 time, and sewing machines that were really what they were repre- 

 sented to be ; also wagons for business and pleasure ; mowing ma- 

 chines, horse-rakes and hay-tedders, corn shellers, threshing ma- 

 chines, upon which the farmer of to-day looks with satisfaction. 

 With grateful hearts we thank the inventor and manufacturer, and 

 bid him " rest not here." 



I should do the society gi*eat injustice if I failed to report their 

 exhibition of cattle as great, and the society would do the Com- 

 monwealth dishonor if they had failed to make their exhibition 

 great. Here in this beautiful valley, the garden of our State, where 

 nature has been lavish, with the improvements of generations 

 that have gone, in years that are i:>ast, which the present genera- 

 tion possess, with the accumulated wealth of their fathers, we 



