128 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The show of horses was very good, though the rain prevented 

 such an examination as would have been pleasant. There 

 were nearly a hundred swine, some of which were very supe- 

 rior ; some Suffolks would compare favorably with those of 

 any section. 



Of that most profitable animal, the sheep, the entries were not 

 so numerous as we would have liked, and of those exhibited we 

 observed no pure bloods of any kind. 



We believe there is no branch of farming more profitable than 

 that of raising sheep for mutton and lambs ; taking the middle- 

 woolled sheep and making the wool a secondary article, there 

 is no product of the farm which commands a readier market 

 than mutton and lamb, and there is none which pays so large a 

 percentage on the investment. We wish the Cotswold, South 

 Downs, New Oxfordshire and Shropshire Downs, could be intro- 

 duced into every town in Massachusetts. 



The display in the hall was really very fine ; the different 

 branches of domestic industry were represented, as also the 

 larger manufacturers. 



But the fruits shown would have done credit to any county in 

 the State, especially in those noble fruits so peculiarly our own, 

 the apple and pear. Of the latter, very fine and numerous speci- 

 mens were from Dr. Fisher and Mr. Wood. There were some 

 very handsome Isabella and Fitchburg grapes, but pre-eminent 

 were the splendid clusters of the Concord, at the present time 

 the most popular grape in New England. 



The vegetables too were in large quantities and unusually 

 good. Butter and cheese were not as well represented as they 

 should have been. 



At half-past twelve a very handsome collation attracted the 

 attention of about three hundred, after which sensible and 

 instructive remarks were made by Hon. Simon Brown, Charles 

 L. Flint, Esq., Colonel Crocker and others. Notwithstanding 

 the weather, the day passed off in a spirited, orderly and satisfac- 

 tory manner. 



I suppose the officers of this society best know their own 

 business and the reqirements of their people, but it seems to me 

 that there was upon that ground plenty of material to interest 

 and instruct the masses for two days. It is impossible to make 

 the critical examinations, proper to be made, when stock is 



