212 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



upon sufTicient experience, or is only prejudice, I have much 

 doubt. In one point of view it would undoubtedly be better to 

 change the bull at an earlier age than three years. The 

 doctrine which teaclies us to breed " in and in " in families 

 has not met with much favor in this country. Hence to avoid 

 the incestuous process which allows a bull to sire calves by his 

 own progeny, the bull must be changed as often as every third 

 year. 



The ploughing match was well contested, and excited its usual 

 interest. The work was creditably performed and without 

 undue noise or severe urging of teams. 



Upon looking through the exhibition hall, I was much sur- 

 prised to find but a single exhibitor of fruit ; the specimens 

 comprising nine varieties of apples, some of which were without 

 any distinctive name. 



Being unable to explain this deficiency by the general failure 

 of the fruit crop, I found that no premiums upon fruit had been 

 offered, as it was supposed that the exhibition of fruit by the 

 Worcester Horticultural Society had lessened the interest of 

 the public in this portion of the county show. The most 

 prominent and attractive feature of the indoors exhibition was 

 a large and beautiful exhibition of hot-house plants, occupying 

 nearly one end of the hall, and without which very little worth 

 attention would have been found in the building. 



Tlie exhibition of butter was large, but the specimens did not 

 present as good a color, nor as careful preparation as I have 

 seen elsewhere. Whether the color was owing to the breed of 

 cattle, or the character of the pastures Avhich produced it, I 

 was unable to learn. But little apparent interest appeared to 

 be felt by the people of the city proper in the show, and I do 

 not know but this is customary ; all the persons, however, with 

 whom I conversed both upon the grounds and in the city seemed 

 unanimous in the opinion tliat the show of the 19th was of 

 little importance in comparison with the horse show of the 20th, 

 at which all (including the officers of the society) predicted 

 a much larger attendance. My engagements, however, har- 

 monizing with my inclinations, I did not remain to witness this 

 great feature of the Worcester County exhibition, and I left the 

 ground with the hope tiiat the Worcester society had not 

 reached that condition which was described in a report made to 



