REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 259 



I commenced an examination of the stock in the pens, where 

 I found a very fair show of fat cattle, comprising quite a num- 

 ber of pairs of oxen of medium size, some of which were 

 quite fat. 



Also, quite a number of pairs of ordinary working oxen, not 

 showing the careful matching and training that we see in 

 Worcester and some other counties ; and a few pairs of good 

 steers, which bid fair to make good oxen if properly trained. 

 There was quite a large number of milch cows, which, with a 

 few exceptions, were apparently of ordinary or poor quality ; 

 which was not at all surprising to me when I saw the bulls the 

 farmers of Barnstable breed from, — if those on exhibition were 

 the best animals, — of which there was quite a large number, 

 all of which were of natives or grades, and of poor or ordinary 

 quality at that. 



Of sheep the show was quite good in quality and numbers, 

 among them some very good South Downs, and two good 

 bucks ; to which some of the land in Barnstable County seems 

 to be better adapted than to cattle. 



Of swine there was a very good exhibition ; among them 

 some superior boars, sows and pigs, principally of the Suffolk 

 breed or Suffolk grades, and indicating that the farmers of 

 Barnstable know how to breed good pigs. 



The exhibition of horses was composed of a few stallions, a 

 large number of mares, and colts of all ages, and a number of 

 draught and driving horses ; there were a few colts among the 

 number which were promising animals. 



The ploughing-match began about nine o'clock, A. M., on land 

 adjoining the exhibition lot. Some of the land was not very 

 favorable for handsome ploughing, owing to knolls and depres- 

 sions of the surface — by which the furrows on a part of some of 

 the lots had to be turned up hill, which is a more difficult opera- 

 tion to perform than to plough on level ground. There were 

 eight or nine teams — part horses and part oxen — contending for 

 the premiums. The teams did not show good training ; and the 

 straight, even and well-turned furrows which mark the Essex, 

 Middlesex and other ploughing-matches, were wanting. Good 

 ploughing is the foundation of good cultivation, and here there 

 is certainly a chance for improvement, both in the ploughing 



