HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 91 



ficial influence of meetings like the present. The friendly con- 

 gregation of men, all more or less engaged in agriculture, and 

 united in the fraternal bond of a common eflbrt to bring to the 

 highest perfection those creatures which a beneficent Providence 

 has subjected to the use of man, cannot be unattended with good 

 results. The times in which we live are eminently prolific of 

 new theories in the science of agriculture ; and it is of the great- 

 est importance, that, as they severally come under the test of 

 practical trial, the results should be made public for the benefit 

 of the community. Emulation is the germ of improvement, 

 but it is a noble plant and wants elbow room ; it requires a gen- 

 erous soil to fructify it ; if it be cramped in its growth by too 

 cold and sordid calculation of probable pecuniary advantage, it 

 will wither and die a premature death. 



It may appear superfluous, if not pragmatical, to utter so trite 

 a maxim as that " the best things are always the cheapest ;" 

 but it is important that this truth should be ever prominent in, 

 the mind of the farmer, otherwise false notions of economy will 

 spring up, and a rapid deterioration of breed, fatal to excellence, 

 will be the inevitable result. 



Paoli Lathrop's bull, of the pure short-horned breed, attracted 

 the admiration of the Committee for his general perfection; there 

 did not appear to be a faulty part about him ; he may favorably 

 compare with any of his kind in the country. 



There were 97 pair of working cattle on the ground, of which 

 27 pair were sent by the town of Goshen. These took the first 

 premium of ^20. Easthampton furnished 23 pair, and received 

 the second premium of ,^18. Hadley sent 27 pair, and the 

 third premium of $15 was awarded to them; but the Committee 

 have recommended that a gratuity of $1 be given on each pair 

 of cattle, for the trouble of bringing them. The exhibition of 

 teams surpassed in excellence any that has been witnessed since 

 the formation of the Society. The symmetry of the cattle, and 

 the nice discrimination with which the pairs were matched, 

 called for the high commendation of the Committee. 



There were eight entries of three year old steers. The pair 

 from Norwich, owned and driven by Mr. Pitcher, were of extra- 

 ordinary size and great symmetrical beauty. They weighed, in 



