78 HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 



ing this bridge to the favor of the public, and would feel war- 

 ranted in awarding a premium, did the rules of the Society 

 allow them to go beyond the limits of the county. 



The Draw, which makes a part of the model, is an excellent 

 contrivance, the motion of the weights being graduated in such 

 a manner as to equalize the resistance upon the crank in raising 

 or lowering the bridge. The Truss is, also, thought worthy of 

 special notice. The improvement consists in the counter braces, 

 which are locked into the upper and lower chords, and are thus 

 made to answer the purpose of the inverted arch in the bridge 

 model. 



A store lock, by N. Bacon, Springfield, a recent invention, 

 and much safer than the ordinary store lock. Premium $2. 



Improved combination bank lock, by S. Merrick, Springfield. 

 The improvement consists in a self-acting cam lever, which 

 prevents the bolt from pressing upon the latches until the par- 

 ticular change in the combination is found, and which is entirely 

 inaccessible from the key-hole ; also the cam bits of the key, 

 which double the combination number. The committee can 

 discover no principle by which the lock can be picked. Pre- 

 mium $4. 



Specimens of swords, military equipments, cutlery, carbines, 

 and pistols, by N. P. Ames, of Cabotville, attracted universal 

 admiration for their beautiful design and finish. The plating 

 is effected by the galvanic process, which Mr. Ames has suc- 

 ceeded in bringing to a high degree of perfection. Premium $6. 



Case of gold and silver thimbles and spectacles, by Dimon 

 Chandler, of Longmeadow. These articles are excellent both 

 in design and workmanship, and surpass any thing of the kind 

 known to the committee, either of foreign or domestic manufac- 

 ture. Premium $5. 



In laying the following communications before the public, the 

 directors call attention to the importance of diffusing as largely 

 as possible through the county, a knowledge of valuable results, 

 which may be arrived at in the cultivation of the soil. The ex- 

 hibition of products is important, but the means of obtaining 

 them is more important. We ask therefore of the farmers, that 

 they take whatever pains may be necessary to spread before the 



