210 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



and the bay of the Narragansetts, that large universal truth of 

 American life — the harmony of labor. 



Cast your eye over this great county of fifty-seven townships, 

 itself larger than Delaware or Rhode Island, teeming with an 

 hundred and twenty thousand inhabitants. Thirty years ago. 

 when this society began, the hills and valleys of to-day reflected 

 back the smiles of the same great Benefactor. But, in all else, 

 how changed ! How would the statistics of that day, if we had 

 any, stand by the side of your industry and production ? Par- 

 don me, for a moment, while I bring out, at a single glance, the 

 amazing growth and development which speak like the notes of 

 a trumpet to Worcester County. They present a picture for pride 

 and hope to the farmer, exultation to the mechanic, and satis- 

 faction to every body. 



Our county presents, this day, a valuation — of course far, far 

 below the real value — in neat cattle of almost a million and a 

 half of dollars, larger, considerably, than both of the counties 

 next highest on the list, the affluent Middlesex, and the verdant 

 Berkshire, and more than a quarter of the whole in the Com- 

 monwealth. I am reminded of a remark made to me by the 

 great farmer of Marshfield, a year since, in full view of the 

 waters of Plymouth, and while gazing upon his hundred head 

 of choice cattle, grazing upon his cultivated plains. "Sir,'* 

 said Mr. Webster, " I can show you fish from my seas, and very 

 excellent stock, but in the way of cattle, I have nothing to pro- 

 duce to a Worcester County man. In my opinion, your work- 

 ing oxen are not surpassed by any in the world, I saw none 

 better in England, than you have in Sutton and Charlton." 

 Our county gives us a valuation in horses — somewhat neglected, 

 I fear, by this patronizing society — of rising half a million, and 

 in swine, one hundred and forty thousand dollars ; of Indian 

 corn, an annual production of almost $300,000, nearly one quar- 

 ter of the whole in the State ; of wheat almost $20,000, one 

 third of the whole. In rye, she is only equalled by alluvial 

 Hampden, while her production of barley is almost $50,000. 

 one half of all that is raised in the State ; of oats, one quarter of 

 the whole is hers, being the amount of $105,000, surpassed only 

 by Berkshire; of potatoes, almost one quarter of $1,000,000, be- 



