REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 221 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



Forty-three consecutive years the Hampshire, Franklin and 

 Hampden Agricultural Society has held its annual fair. 



It met this year, on an occasion of more than usual interest. 

 For the first time since its organization was the entire exhibition 

 concentrated upon their own grounds. About five years ago 

 the society purchased (at an expense of four thousand dollars) 

 sixteen acres of land, beautifully located in the fertile Valley of 

 the Connecticut ; and here, during the past year, they have 

 erected a commodious building, one hundred and eight feet long 

 by forty feet wide, which contains two large halls with suitable 

 ante-rooms, at the cost of about three thousand dollars. 



On Thursday and Friday, the third and fourth of October, I 

 had the pleasure of meeting a large concourse of the ardent 

 friends of agriculture from this portion of our State. Each 

 day, by its sweet and balmy air, seemed to add joy and gladness 

 to the occasion. 



Altliough it appears that this society should embrace three 

 counties, yet, by inquiry, I found that the contributors were 

 almost entirely confined to the county of Hampshire. 



I wish I was able to compare the exhibition of this year with 

 those of past years. From what I could learn, however, I 

 should judge that the expectations of its most ardent friends 

 were fully realized. Those who have heretofore opposed the 

 onward progress of the society, in the erection of a building, 

 had to confess their disappointment. It is to be regretted that 

 the society's grounds are so limited in their extent ; instead of 

 sixteen acres, the wants of this society need at least thirty acres. 

 It is to be hoped that those who own adjoining lands will fully 

 realize this need^ and with their accustomed liberality make 

 provision to meet this want. 



There is nothing so important in the exhibition of stock as 

 space, and you can well imagine how closely we were brought 

 together, when provision was made for the numerous mowing 

 machines in full play, peddlers' carts, refreshment tents, and 

 numerous other places of entertainment. 



Tlie ploughing, a very important and interesting part of our 

 agricultural fairs, was entirely omitted. 



