REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 203 



were fifty-seven plates of the very best liardy varieties. Flowers 

 in great profusion, perfection and variety. 



In the department of domestic manufactures and fancy work, 

 there was a great amount of well- wrought useful and ornamental 

 articles, giving satisfactory evidence of the skill, good taste 

 and industry of the ladies. 



The show of vegetables was very large and, of the best 

 quality. 



The ploughing match which is always a very interesting part 

 of our agricultural exhibitions was on the morning of the 

 second day. It was the best exhibition of the kind I ever 

 attended, and was witnessed by a great multitude that no man 

 could number. There were seventeen contestants for the 

 premiums — eight double teams, four single teams of oxen, and 

 five of horses. The whole affair was most admirably conducted, 

 very quiet and orderly, every man going about his work as 

 deliberately as if at home on his own farm, which is the natural 

 consequence of not being limited in time ; which is certainly 

 to be approved. 



Immediately after the ploughing, was the address by Hon. 

 Alfred A. Abbott, in the midst of which I was obliged to leave, 

 which I deeply regretted, for by so doing I not only lost a 

 part of the address, in which I was much interested, but the 

 dinner also, and more, the intellectual entertainment connected 

 with it, and many other things that would have been very 

 interesting to me. 



Samuel H. Bushnell. 



MIDDLESEX NORTH. 



Pursuant to my appointment as a delegate from the State 

 Board, I attended the sliow of the Middlesex North Agricul- 

 tural Society, at Lowell, Thursday, September 12, 1861. 



The day previous to the show was one of the stormiest of 

 the season ; it rained violently all day and until midnight, so 

 that although the day of the exhibition opened clear and bright, 

 the labors of the officers were much increased, and doubtless 



