119 



nious in the opinion that when the corn is in a market- 

 able condition, it will Ml below the required point, 

 hence no premium. 



Perhaps we may be excused if we intimate here that 

 the Society has imposed a duty on the Grain Com- 

 mittee, they are unable to perform. They require our 

 returns to be made by the tenth of November, and the 

 corn to be in a marketable condition ; that corn should 

 be in that condition at the time specified is out of the 

 question. We were invited by L. Downe, the master 

 of the almshouse in Fitchburg, to visit his field of corn 

 on said farm. It is a beautiful field of four acres, and 

 the Committee were unanimous in recommending a 

 gratuity of two dollars to him; would that there 

 were many such fields in this community. We were 

 also invited to visit Benjamin SafFord's field. It was a 

 fine field of corn, and reflects credit to its owner ; but 

 as nothing was asked, nothing was given. We hope 

 to see his name on the list of entries another year. 



The two fields of wheat entered were of good 

 growth, and the wheat itself of fine quality. Both 

 were somewhat adulterated with Chess, an article of 

 which much has been said, and the origin hard to 

 determine ; but suffice it to say, it very much resem- 

 bles the Bible tare which Satan sowed among the 

 ancient wheat, and we should do well to keep as clear 

 from it as possible. A specimen of bread was presented 

 from one of the fields, which was well worthy attention, 

 but whether it was from the superiority of the wheat, 

 or the superiority of the cook we will not decide. 



Bye, Barley and Oats. From these three there is 

 but one entry, and of course but one premium. 



Beans, there were but two entries ; one is referred to 



