xlvi REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



stock department, showing some fine Jersey and Ayrshire cattle. 

 The Devons were represented in the herd of Nathan Edson, who 

 also displayed some choice pears and grapes. His Black Hamburgs 

 are seldom excelled. The fruit department was much indebted to 

 the display made by Warren Marston. Cranberries of course were 

 the leading fruit, and we never saw finer specimens. Cape Cod has 

 greatly the advantage over other sections of the State in the culti- 

 vation of this delicious and healthy fruit, being exempt, by close 

 contiguity to the ocean on both sides, from late frosts in the spring 

 and early frosts in the fall. At the time of our visit, about the 

 middle of October, the cranberries were just being picked, and had 

 the dee}) mahogany color, indicating maturity and high flavor. 



"We would suggest to our Cape friends that the soil and climate 

 must be equally favorable to the production of grapes. At the 

 time of the meeting of the board in Concord, we learned that one 

 great secret of the success of vineyard culture in that locality was 

 the sandy soil which gave bottom heat. Surely sand is not want- 

 ing on the Cape, and nowhere in the State is the season so prolonged 

 for the maturity of the grape. Perhaps this suggestion is not worth 

 a fig, but if ever in consequence of it, the barren plains become 

 fruitful vineyards, and our Cape friends are permitted to sit under 

 their own vines and fig-trees, we hope they will remember us and 

 invite us down to another Barnstable fair. 



Wednesday opened gloomily, with a drizzling rain, and we had a 

 little touch of the east wind. A very respectable assembly, how- 

 ever, gathered around the dinner-table in the hall and listened to 

 an eloquent address by Dr. Loring, on " The Progress of American 

 Agriculture and its future Prospects." We had heard the same 

 once or twice before, but the Doctor has the magic of making an 

 old thing new. 



In the evening the conclusion of the whole matter, we under- 

 stood, was to culminate in a grand social time, enlivened with 

 music, which would set the blood and feet in cu-culation ; but other 

 engagements compelled us to forego the pleasure of this occasion. 

 With the usual tender of thanks, we submit this brief and imper- 

 fect report. Alexander Hyde. 



NANTUCIOIT. 



According to appointment of the Board, I visited the island of 

 Nantucket, at their thirteenth annual cattle show and fair, held 

 September 30th, and October 1st. The morning of the 29th was a 



