I05 



weather be favorable or otherwise. In a county like 

 Essex, with only one other agricultural society, in a remote 

 corner of the county, I am inclined to think that this 

 method is the best one. I certainly have never visited a 

 fair where more personal interest was taken by the farmers 

 in the exhibition than in this county. It was purely an 

 old-time agricultural cattle-show, but I regret to say that 

 while it is called a cattle show, it is in some respects a 

 misnomer, for the cattle were not present in sufficient 

 numbers to hardly warrant its classification under this 

 head. 



I understand that this is a milk county, and that many 

 of the best herds are not exhibited because it would inter- 

 fere with the milk business. Also that many of the large 

 breeders object to taking their cattle to an exhibition 

 where there is no shelter. I suggested that the society 

 own a large tent, and why would not this be a good plan 

 for all societies of the state that do not have covered 

 buildings? If Barnum can exhibit his valuable animals 

 all over the country, in all sorts of weather, in tents, there 

 is no reason wliy owners of valuable cattle should not be 

 willing to exhibit them at cattle shows, provided they are 

 sheltered by a good tent or tents, and there is no out-door 

 exhibition so attractive as that given under canvas. It 

 seems to me that this society could own and transport a 

 tent from place to place quite as cheaply as the wooden 

 pens which they now employ. 



As will be inferred, the show of cattle was meagre. 

 There were some excellent working oxen, and an 

 excellent herd from the Russell farm, but I did not see 

 the grand cow " Eurotissima," owned by Mr. Daniel 

 Appleton, that has beat in the record of the world. Mr. 

 Russell's herd is a magnificent one, but it may almost be 

 termed a professional herd, for it is exhibited at many 

 shows, and is prepared for exhibition. I would like to 

 have seen more amateur exhibitors, or rather more farmers 

 present with their own stock. 



