34 HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND 



HAMPSHIRE, PRANRLIN, AND HAMPDEN AGRICUL- 

 TURAL SOCIETY. 



The annual cattle-show and fair of this society took place at 

 Northampton, on the 11th and 12th days of October last. The 

 show, as a whole, was inferior to many former exhibitions. 

 The number of cattle was smaller than usual, and they were 

 generally of ordinary quality. As an exhibition, the ploughing 

 match was inferior, only twelve competitors being in the field, 

 when there should have been twenty. The exhibition of 

 horses was large and very good. The show of fruits surpassed 

 that of any previous anniversary ; but, of vegetables, it was 

 meagre and unworthy of this rich valley. 



The address was delivered by Professor John P. Norton, of 

 Yale College. His subject was the soil, — its structure, physical 

 organization, and chemical properties. At the dinner-table, 

 remarks were made by several individuals. Professor Norton, 

 in answer to a call, remarked, that there was one point to 

 which he wished to call the attention of farmers. It was, that 

 the present meeting reminded him of similar meetings in Eng- 

 land and Scotland, — a feature which he wished could be intro- 

 duced among the farmers of this country. In those countries, 

 farmers are in the habit of meeting once a month, or oftener, 

 in the winter season, for the purpose of discussing topics imme- 

 diately connected with agriculture. They have a subject se- 

 lected for discussion, and each comes prepared to give his views 

 on it. These meetings are of great importance. They collect 

 a vast amount of valuable, practical information. A person 

 might obtain more real knowledge in one hour, in such a meet- 

 ing, than in many years from other sources. The result would 

 be, that our farmers would direct scientific men to those points 

 which most needed the application of patient labor and re- 



