238 BOARD OF ACxRICULTURE. 



large and promising animal, of excellent disposition, and pos- 

 sessing many valuable points. 



Tlie town teams from Deerfiekl and Shelburne, together 

 numbering fifty-three yoke of oxen, almost entirely grade 

 Short-horns, could scarcely have been equalled in the Com- 

 monwealth for size, beauty and docility, nearly all of them 

 were iu very high order, speaking well for the pastures of this 

 section. 



The display of steers was unusually good, and the collection 

 of oxen and steers alone, was attractive enough, to repay a 

 lover of good stock, for a journey of one hundred miles. 



The exhibition of sheep, taking into consideration their 

 number and excellence, was probably in advance of any thing 

 of the kind ever seen in the State. 



The number of entries in this line was fifty-one, including 

 over three hundred animals. It is gratifying to see the increased 

 attention paid to this branch of farming ; the hill portions of 

 Franklin County are admirably adapted to sheep-husbandry, 

 which was here once a leading business, the chief attention 

 having been paid to the small, fine-wool varieties. For many 

 years sheep have been gradually decreasing in numbers, their 

 place being supplied by neat stock, chiefly Short-horn grades, 

 with a view to raising oxen, which when grown, were \isually 

 sold to the feeders in the river towns, where they were stall fed for 

 the butcher. The great West has injuriously affected the profit 

 of this business, by delivering cattle at all our chief markets, 

 fed on the rich pastures and cheap corn of that section, at a 

 lower figure than can be afforded here, and probably in future 

 the Yal ley farmers will find their best interest, in a great measure, 

 to consist in feeding sheep rather than oxen. 



There were exhibited fine specimens of the South Down, 

 Cotswold, and Oxford Down breeds, the latter appeared to be 

 the general favorites, and some of their lambs were remarkably 

 promising. 



Perley Ballon, with J. S. Grennell and S. A. Sraead, were 

 the principal exhibitors of Oxford Downs ; G. W. Carpenter 

 and Sons, and others, of Shelburne, made fine shows of South 

 Downs. Of fine-wool sheep, the best exhibition was made 

 by A. 0. Buddington, of Leyden, and D. R. Bardwell, of 

 Shelburne. 



