66 HAMPSHIRE, HAMPDEN AND 



resulted in a degree of excellence in the primary operation of the 

 husbandman, so uniform as to render discrimination on the pre- 

 sent occasion perplexing and difficult. This consideration in- 

 duced the committee to award a number of gratuities, in addi- 

 tion to the regular premiums. 



The first premium, of $7, is awarded to plough No. 12 (Aaron 

 Breck, Jr. of Northampton). The points of excellence, which 

 arrested the individual attention of the members of the commit- 

 tee in this, and made their decision unanimous, were 1st, good 

 and sufficient depth ; 2d, evenness and friableness of the fur- 

 row slices ; and 3d, neat, thorough and well-defined work at the 

 land's ends and finishing furrow. 



The number of ploughs entered for competition, was twen- 

 ty-six. 



D. L. CHILD, Chairman. 



Stock. 



It has been justly and truly said, by a committee of agricul- 

 turalists in this State, that "a farming district may be judged 

 of by its working oxen, as safely as by its corn fields, and its 

 barns." We most heartily subscribe to this truth. 



In making a general survey of the stock at this exhibition, 

 your committee observed, first, that there was a greater display 

 of working cattle than has been for many years before ; second, 

 that the general character and condition of these animals was 

 far above the ordinary standard ; third, that in the teams from 

 Southampton and Goshen, there was a uniformity in appear- 

 ance, form, and age, and a large number of well matched teams, 

 which gave us the highest satisfaction. Fourth, of miscella- 

 neous entries of cattle, the number was much smaller than we 

 have been accustomed or could wish to see. We have this to 

 remark, however, that the quality of these few deserves the 

 highest commendation. 



It has been made the special duty of the committee, to award 

 premiums on trains of working cattle. In discharging this 

 duty, and while surveying those noble specimens of the strong 

 and laboring ox, submissive to his yoke, calm and composed in 



