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lect sufficient information to justify an expression of opinion upon 

 several points : the cause of the numerous deaths, -whether any 

 one breed is specially liable to fatal disorders, or -whether any 

 profitable breed is more generally healthy than others. We have 

 learned that in numerous instances the pigs that died were re- 

 cently taken from droves out of Illinois and other -western States. 

 Many persons have ceased to eat pork, fearing that the so called 

 hog-cholera of the West had been introduced by the importation 

 of SAvine from that region. We -would respectfully suggest that 

 farmers should carefully note any important facts that come to 

 their kno-wlcdge, with a view to the formation of a matured and 

 intelligent opinion respecting a class of disorders from which seri- 

 ous losses have arisen this present year. 



The rich and flourishing county of Norfolk did itself injustice 

 at our late fair. The wealthy towns of Brookline, Dorchester and 

 lloxbury, the really good farms of Dedham, Mcdfield and Med- 

 way, and a dozen half agricultural and half manufacturing places, 

 failed to make an exhibition of their respective productions at all 

 commensurate with their ability, with their intelligence, or their 

 real interest in farming. The men and women were out in strong 

 force ; but the working oxen, the fat cattle, the milk-cows, the 

 pigs and colts, the agricultural implements — objects which give 

 life and interest to the show — were sparingly exhibited. This is 

 much to be lamented ; for if our experience proves any thing it is 

 that fairs exert a moral and professional influence in proportion to 

 the evidences they exhibit of industry, skill and progress. Many 

 farmers appear to think that unless they exhibit something of the 

 very first quality, something that is sure of a premium, their time 

 and labor are lost, and are often deterred from exhibiting what they 

 have, lest somebody else should have something better. If this 

 idea were fully carried out very few would contribute. In every 

 town are forty or fifty farmers who have fine oxen, cows or pigs, 

 horses or colts, or specimens of good corn, potatoes or butter. 

 They may not in all cases be the best, but if exhibited, Avould pre- 

 sent the average condition or the actual condition of agriculture in 

 the county, besides furnishing evidence of the interest felt by indi- 

 vidual farmers. What an exhilaration would be produced by the 

 spectacle of a hundred yoke of good working oxen, as many milch 

 cows and heifers, and specimens of the produce of a hundred 

 dairies. And if this intention were cherished from the beginning 

 of the year, if the farmer, instead of trusting to a few weeks' 

 eflfort, just before the fair, for the sake of obtaining a premium, 

 should bear in mind through the Avhole season the duty of present- 

 ing the best result of a year's work, we should have an cxhil)ition 

 that would gratify our pride and j)romoto our cause. Acting 

 upon the princijtle of doing one's best, the farmers would be in- 



