274 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



prices which dairy products and cattle for slaughter now com- 

 mand, the importance of producing stock that shall be free from 

 all mixture claims our immediate and earnest attention. The 

 committee are gratified in the assurance that some of our 

 enterprising stock growers are already on the right track, 

 and they hope ere long to find many more emulating the ex- 

 ample. 



The show of bulls on the present occasion was, with some 

 exceptions, rather inferior to that of last year. Of the ani- 

 mals present with their credentials, and subject to the commit- 

 tee's examination, there were only three. A beautiful two- 

 year-old Devon bull, sired by Norfolk, of the Massachusetts 

 Society's stock, was exhibited by D. Rrainard Merrick, of Wil- 

 braham, and bids fair to improve his race. Another of the 

 same breed, and one that has contributed to the interest of 

 former exhibitions, was shown by H. M. Sessions, of South 

 Wilbraham. The greatest attraction in this class of animals, 

 and one which bore away the palm, was a magnificent Durham 

 bull, (see ante, page 253,) four years old, from the celebrated 

 stock of Mr. Vaille, of Troy, N. Y., and exhibited by Paoli Lath- 

 rop, of South Hadley, and owned by him and George M. At- 

 water, of Springfield. This bull, being descended directly from 

 an imported pedigree, shows us at a glance the vast superiority 

 of English stock as compared with our own, and should stimu- 

 late us to immediate effort, in order to obviate, at the earliest 

 possible moment, the necessity of importing John Bulls bulls. 

 The thanks of the society are due to Mr. Lathrop for his 

 trouble in exhibiting this animal ; and under its provisions for 

 encouraging the introduction of imported stock, we think him 

 entitled to the first premium on Durham bulls. A very fine 

 red bull of the Ayrshire breed, three years old, and of mam- 

 moth proportions, was shown by Royal Rindge, of Wilbraham. 

 Another, deserving of commendation as a mixed breed, was ex- 

 hibited by William Pynchon, of Springfield; also another by 

 Daniel Prince, of West Springfield ; nor should wc omit to 

 mention the city bull, which has headed the list in two preced- 

 ing exhibitions, and therefore could not be justly entitled to 

 further award. 



11. E. Moseley, Chairman. 



