320 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



plenty, to say nothing of beautiful, large clusters of Black 

 Hamburg, and other varieties of European grapes, exhibited 

 by the [)resident of the society and others. There were eighty- 

 two different contributors of fruits, being a gain since their 

 first exhibition, in 185t3, of one lumdred and thirty per cent. 



Among the noticeable things in the hall was a bottle of water 

 from the spring which supplied the mother of Benjamin Frank- 

 lin, during a period anterior to his birth. TJie people of 

 Nantucket, it may not be generally known, claim a share in the 

 paternity of tliis remarkable philosopher. 



The show of stock, which took place on the 11th, on grounds 

 owned by the society, indicated that the farmers had not been 

 asleep upon that sul)ject. The introduction of an Ayrshire 

 bull, two or tliree years ago, has been the means of perpetuating 

 some of his fine qualities in the persons of a number of 

 promising heifers. Of milch cows the show was only ordinary, 

 the best cows, as I was informed, not being upon the ground. 

 The Galloway, or hornless breed, were well represented, and 

 seemed to be valued about as highly as any stock of more recent 

 introduction, they having been brouglit upon the island in 1825. 

 Fine sheep, swine and poultry also gave evidence that no depart- 

 ment of stock was neglected. At two o'clock, P. M., six teams, 

 three of iiorses and three of oxen, competed in a ploughi]ig 

 uiatch, but upon soil of such a character that there was nothing 

 to call into action any special virtue either of team or 

 j)loughman. 



On the 12th, the day was occupied at the grounds, by the 

 exhibition of horses. Nantucket is not so far from the " con- 

 tinent," tiiat the horse fever has not had an influence. It lias 

 manifested itself in a general improvement in the horses, and 

 created a desire to see something " fast." There was, however, 

 no set trot, though a plenty of extemporaneous and " scrub" 

 efforts. 



There was no public dinner of the society, or address. The 

 more particularly social part of the festival was enjoyed in the 

 exhibition hall during the evenings of both days. 



I was much indebted to the various officers of the society for 

 attentions, and for items of information. 



Jauez Fisher. 



