REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 123 



by the son of an honored father, as presiding officer of the 

 society, by whom, and by all his associates in the direction of 

 the society, I was received as your delegate with much courtesy 

 and hospitality. It speaks well for the stability and firmness of 

 the society, that in a period so remarkable as the present for 

 frequent official changes, this should be the case. It is how- 

 ever to be regretted that somewhat of its pristine influence and 

 power has been taken from this society by the formation of 

 three other agricultural societies within its original limits, 

 which has tended to detract from the legitimate interest of its 

 annual exhibitions. There seems to be a peculiar fitness and 

 propriety in having all within the territorial limits of a county 

 united in one county society. The presence of farmers from all 

 parts of the county, at these annual reunions, has a strong 

 influence in producing a harmony of feeling between the resi- 

 dents of the different sections of the county ; it enlarges the 

 field of competition in the various departments where premiums 

 are offered, and elevates the standard of excellence by requir- 

 ing more of skill, industry and energy to obtain the highest 

 premiums, and this too, at less cost to the Commonwealth, than 

 under a system of undue multiplication of smaller societies. 



I think that the awards made at this exhibition amounted to 

 about one thousand dollars, and all other expenses of the 

 society about five hundred dollars, making an aggregate expen- 

 diture of about fifteen hundred dollars. I was pleased to learn 

 that the society are fixed in their determination to incur no 

 additional debt, and to limit their future expenditures to their 

 income, a salutary principle which should be adopted by every 

 agricultural society, and which is as essential to the prosperity 

 of a society as to that of individuals. " Pay as you go," is 

 indeed a good motto for all. It is therefore to be regretted 

 that the society are still laboring under a debt incurred for the 

 purchase of their spacious grounds, and the erection of their 

 exhibition hall ; and it is to be hoped that ere long some muni- 

 ficent member of the society will relieve them from the burden 

 of the annual payment of interest. 



As Worcester is one of the most noted dairy districts of the 

 Commonwealth, I was somewhat surprised at the preponder- 

 ance of the amount paid for premiums connected with the 

 exhibition of horses, above that paid for premiums for the best 



