NANTUCKET CATTLE SHOW. 421 



to the extreme drought which hud Listed nearly two months 

 and had dried the pastures and the springs. 



The animals were mostly of the Ayrshire blood, with 

 some Jerseys, and grades of both. The Ayrshire stock was 

 introduced here some thirty years ago, and the Jerseys some- 

 what later, and both are undoubtedly better adapted for use 

 here than animals of other and larger breeds. 



There were about a half dozen bulls, some of them grades, 

 entered, I suppose, merely for exhibition, as they could take 

 no premiums by the rule of this Board. 



About a dozen yokes of working oxen and steers were 

 shown, some thoroughly " native," if any such thing be. 



There were probably from one hundred and fifty to one 

 hundred and seventy-five head of neat stock on the 

 grounds, — only about one-quarter of all that arc on the 

 island, showing a grfeat iuditference on the part of most of 

 the farmers, who would not take the time and trouble to 

 drive thin stock only five or six miles at furthest to help the 

 show and the credit of the county. 



The Messrs. D. W. & E. E. Burgess seemed the most 

 enterprising farmers there. They entered good stock in 

 every department, and showed fine exhibits from a well- 

 managed and productive farm. 



Of swine there were but two entries ; but as there are on 

 the island only about two hundred hogs and pigs, I didn't 

 expect much. 



Of sheep there were but five entries ; they were very 

 good. A large proportion of those exhibited were Cotswold 

 grades, but I think the majority of the 1,550 sheep on the 

 island are white-faced, called "Native" sheep, with some 

 Merino blood, and largely descended from the white-faced 

 sheep brought by the colonists from the Texel in Plolland, 

 which in 1653 Capt. Humphrey Atherton was allowed to 

 pasture on the Island of Nantucket, subject to the rules of 

 the colony regulating the keeping of sheep. There is also 

 now a larsje intermixture of the Southdown blood. 



It is strange to an outsider that a branch of farm industry 

 so pleasant and profitable, and so eminently suited to be a 

 leading industry, should be so neglected; and also that so 

 little interest should be taken by the farmers of Nantucket 



