422 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to exhibit to each other, and to visitors from the outside 

 world, a show of what they have. Here are over one hun- 

 dred farms, and, by the census, ninety-three farmers and 

 twenty-two farm laborers, and yet all the entries, of all 

 kinds of farm stock, were made by thirty-five exhibitors. 

 And this, too, where every farmer could bring his stock with 

 a travel of not over six miles. Indolence, indifference, or a 

 miserable jealousy must be at the bottom of this inaction. 



A ploughing match between two horse teams and three cat- 

 tle teams was well contested, although the land was light, with 

 hardly any sod; the long-continued dry weather had. so 

 compacted the soil as to make it difficult to plough, and 

 when done, it lacked the swelling curves of a well-turned 

 sod. This, with some trials of draught teams, closed the 

 exercises of the first day. 



The display at the hall was in some respects unusually 

 fine; the potatoes were never surpassed, and they and the 

 very fine roots and vegetables of various kinds attest what 

 might be done here with skill, labor and patience. There 

 was a good show of fruit and flowers for the season, and the 

 customary display of bread, remarkably good butter, needle- 

 work, fancy articles, fine arts and other curiosities. Nor was 

 there wanting, "to fill the bill," the inevitable patch-work 

 quilt, containing over three thousand pieces, more or less, 

 made by an old lady eighty-two years of age. 



The second day was devoted to a horse show. Several 

 mares and colts were exhibited, one or two stallions and driv- 

 ing horses. There were trials of draught horses, walking 

 horses and trotting horses, the last very unsatisfactory on 

 account of the clouds of dust, which at times shut out from 

 view the contending steeds. 



The second day was made glorious to the people of the 

 island by the visit, for two or three hours, of the President 

 of the United States, who, cruising in the vicinity, gratified 

 the islanders by landing and walking their streets, thereby 

 furnishing; conversational material to last them two or three 

 generations. 



The cattle show was a very successful one for them, and 

 very creditable for those farmers who took an interest in 

 contributing their stock and productions. 



