52 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



the whole of Thursday. Over seven thousand persons were 

 admitted to the hall, on payment of the sum of ten cents each. 



The show of fruits, particularly of apples, was unusually 

 large and fine. Nearly all the new and valuable varieties rais- 

 ed in New England, were exhibited, and at the same time nu- 

 merous specimens of our native standard varieties, thus giv- 

 ing evidence that our cultivators, though disposed to test new 

 varieties of fruit, are not so captivated by novelties, as to give 

 up the cultivation — and the extensive cultivation, of what 

 has uniformly proved productive and profitable. In the show 

 of vegetables, there was some improvement over former years, 

 but by no means such an improvement as should mark our 

 Exhibitions, nor such as is worthy of the County. We can- 

 not but hope that this department will, at the next annual 

 Fair, receive, as it deserves, the liberal and enthusiastic support 

 of the far-famed market gardeners of Danvers, of Marblehead, 

 of Beverly, and other towns in the County. We fear that, in 

 this respect, we are better known in the Boston market than 

 at home. We fear that half of the County knows not what 

 the other half is doing in the raising of vegetables. We know, 

 — for we have seen their rich acres — that our market gardeners 

 can show onions, and squashes, and cabages, and the different 

 varieties of esculent roots, in quality and quantity per acre, 

 second to none in the State ; and we invite them, earnestly, to 

 take an honest pride in these products of their skill and indus- 

 try, and present each a few baskets full at our next show, for 

 competition and admiration. 



The show of neat stock generally, did not quite equal, either 

 in numbers or quality, the expectation of those who know 

 what the County is capable of exhibiting. The severe drought 

 of the past summer, may account in part for the failure in 

 this respect. The show of sv\rine, however, especially the 

 Suffolks, was beyond anything we have seen in the County, 

 for years past. 



The ploughing match, both with oxen and with horses, was 

 never more spirited in Essex. Forty teams in all, entered the 

 list of competitors. The work, too, was extremely well per- 

 formed, and elicited the praise of all who witnessed it. To 



