APPENDIX. vii 



WORCESTER. 



The fifty-eighth annual fair and exhibition of the Worcester Agri- 

 cultural Society was held on Thursday and Friday, September 21 

 and 22, on the Society's grounds. 



The weather was damp and chilly at the opening on the first clay 

 of the fair, but there was a good attendance of those who were inter- 

 ested in the fine display in the hall, of fruits, flowers, vegetables, and 

 the mechanic arts. 



The show on the ground was excellent. At the head of the list 

 of neat-stock ranged the famous Swiss herd of 24 in number, entered 

 by G. D. Aldrich of Auburn. They were a fine-looking breed, but 

 did not comprise half the herd now owned by Messrs. Aldrich and 

 David G. Hall of Providence, R. I., and kept on the farm of Mr. 

 Aldrich. This herd of European cattle was originally imported from 

 Switzerland by Mr. H. M. Clark of Belmont. We learn from a 

 statement by the proprietors, that every animal has fourteen distinct 

 marks, found by experienced breeders in all thoroughbred animals, 

 showing the milk and butter qualities and the purit}- of the race. 

 The bulls and heifers, when two years old, weigh from 1,000 to 

 1,400 pounds each ; cows, from 1,500 to 1,600 pounds per cow ; and 

 matured bulls, from 2,000 to 2,700 pounds. They are said to be 

 thrifty, hardy, and mature early. A record of the product of milk 

 shows 196 quarts from one, " Geneva," in seven successive days, 

 and 175 quarts from "Christina" in the same time. It took from 

 seven to eight quarts of milk, on an average, to one pound of butter. 



The next in order was a fine show of Shorthorns, by Wm. S. 

 Slater of Webster. Some of them were imported, and were very 

 large, well-formed stock. One bull weighed 2,700 pounds. J. S. 

 Ellsworth exhibited a herd of 13 of this breed, and several Short- 

 horn grades. Darling Brothers of Auburn also had several head 

 of this class. 



The Ayrshire exhibition consisted of 27 head, by Messrs. B. F. 

 & H. A. Harrington. The cows were fine-looking. There was a 

 thoroughbred bull, " Duncan," in this collection. Chamberlain had 

 nine cows of this class. Harvey Dodge of Sutton had an excel- 

 lent herd of Devons on exhibition. The herd of Jerseys, by O. B. 

 Hadwen of Worcester, merit more than a passing notice. There 

 were 18 head, the progeny of one cow. They were strongly marked 

 with shade, form, and other remarkable points which characterize 

 this excellent breed, and were very creditable to the skill and genius 

 of thorough-breeding. William T. Merrifield of Worcester and Wm. 

 P. Knight of Grafton had fine shows of Jerseys, of beautiful shades. 



