REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 205 



suggestion that almost the only thing wanting in these well- 

 planned premises, is a range of sheds sufficient to siieltcr the 

 stock from the hot summer as well as from cold winds and 

 rain ; these might perhaps be made against the fence with a 

 saving of expense ; with these, and hay and straw furnished 

 free by the society, I think the farmers from the more remote 

 parts of the territory would be induced to drive down and enter 

 their stock on the day previous ; this would very much relieve 

 the officers in their labors on the day of the show ; the cattle 

 would show a great deal better, and get home in better condition. 



The ploughing match was actively contested by some lialf 

 dozen teams in an old orchard which was hard enough to test 

 the skill and patience of teams and men. 



The exhibition of cattle was good ; there were some fat cattle 

 that would have done credit to any society's show, the milch 

 cows were also superior. A very excellent Jersey bull of Dr. 

 Bartlett, taken by him from the State Farm when a calf? 

 received the first premium. 



The working oxen, of which there were fifteen entries, were 

 generally quick, strong, and well-trained, and performed the 

 work well. 



Of horses, one or two really fine stallions, several good road- 

 sters, and a large number of fine colts were successively shown. 



The sheep were rather ordinary, and there were few of them. 

 It would have been gratifying to liave seen, from the ricli pas- 

 tures of North Middlesex, a fuller representation of these most 

 profitable and useful of all the domestic animals, wliich one 

 would think might be kept to advantage, without interfering 

 with the dairy business, — even if it did not improve it. I 

 have very good authority for saying that the pastures of this 

 district are deteriorating, — growing up to bushes and foul stuff* 

 which cattle will not destroy, and sheep will, — and there is no 

 doubt, at the present day, but that sheep improve pasture lands. 

 The clear, cold and dry climate, and the rough, dry soil of 

 New England are better adapted to the growing of sheep than 

 almost any other section of country, here or abroad ; that 

 is, taking into consideration all the conditions which render 

 sheep-husbandry profitable — their thriftiness, their freedom 

 from all the worst diseases which infest the flocks of other 

 countries, and of the richer, moister, warmer portions of this, 



