SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



September 2o and 26, the clays on which our fair was held, were so 

 very near perfect that no one was heard to complain. Early in the 

 morning of the 26th the road leading to the park was filled with 

 cattle, sheep, swine and poultry. Wagons loaded with produce for 

 the Hall were hurrying to get the first place at the door. 

 The exhibit in the Hall was pronounced by far the best the society 

 has had in years. A noteworthy exhibit in the Hall was the display 

 of musical goods and musical talent rendered by Taylor music house 

 of Springfield. They not only made a grand exhibit of the Haynes 

 Piano and Esty Organ but gratuitously furnished music during the 

 two days, and gave 2000 pieces of sheet music to the lookers on. 

 Mr. E. D. Marsh, the local furniture dealer, rather out classed all 

 competitors with his most elegant display of furniture draperies — 

 fancy pieces so new in pattern and design that some of Amherst 

 people were heard to ask " What is that? Is'nt it lovely? " O. G. 

 Couch & Son showed to the public that when iu want of a choice 

 dinner set, lamp, or dainty bit of crockery there was no better stock 

 to select from than at the old stand. J. F. Page, T. W. Sloan, 

 Henry Adams, Kellogg & Stebbins all made displays that are a 

 ci'edit to any society. The display of fruits considering the very 

 unfavorable season was very good. 



The display of vegetables was fully up to the standard. The 

 Board of officers should give thanks to the Mass. Agricultural Col- 

 lege for their prominent part in this line. They furnish to the far- 

 mer an exhibition of fruits and vegetables that by an endless amount 

 of experimenting have been brought up to a standard that makes 

 them second to none in this countiy. Thus the farmer may profit 

 by these experiments at the expense of the state. Next would come 

 the poultry exhibit which was larger this year than ever before, 

 there being about seventy-five entries iu this class. Here the secre- 

 tary would suggest that this department have much more attention, 



