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many milkers. The old adage, " More flies may be 

 caught with molasses than vinegar," has an extensive ap- 

 plication. We commend the example of the good lady, 

 who said that one of their cows kicked so badly that 

 none of their boys or hired men could milk her, though 

 she had been most bountifully thrashed ; and she under- 

 took the task herself, and spoke gently to the poor, fright- 

 ened, trembling cow, and although she continued to milk 

 her, did not have any trouble in doing it. If a cow gives 

 an uncomfortable and unexpected kick, spilling a pail of 

 milk and knocking the milker into the dirt, who rises un- 

 der the provocation to give to "poor mooley " a vigorous 

 application of the milking-stool, our advice is, don't you 

 do it. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. In behalf of 

 the Committee, ELIIIU SMITH, Chairman. 



REPORT ON FARMS. 



The Hampshire Agricultural Society in 1855, offered a 

 premium of fifty dollars for the farm that would show 

 the greatest improvement and the best management dur- 

 ing the next five years. The number of farms entered for 

 this premium was three, one of which has been withdrawn 

 by the owner. 



Your Committe, received annual statements from A. A. 

 Rankin of Pelham and T. P. Huntington of Hadley, and 

 made yearly visits to their farms, and were hospitably re- 

 ceived. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



Mr. Rankin's farm in Pelham, contains one hundred 

 and fifteen acres. In 1855 he improved seventy-five acres. 

 He now improves eighty-six and one-fourth acres. He 

 has reclaimed and brought under cultivation eleven and 

 one-fourth acres of hard, rocky, seemingly worthless land, 

 at a heavy expense of labor and time. 



Mr. Huntington's farm in Hadley, on the east bank of 



