^^iiLi^lMlP 



Honor waits, o'er all the earth, The art that calls her harvests forth. — Bryant. 



VOL. I. 



SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1849, 



NO. 22. 



S. W. COLE, Editor. 



QUINCY HALL, BOSTON. 



J. NOURSE, Proprietoe. 



NORFOLK CATTLE SHOW. 



On the 26th of September, the Norfolk Agricul- 

 tural Society held their first festival, at Dedham. 

 The day was fine, and a large number of persons at- 

 tended ; and on the whole the show was excellent — 

 a fine beginning. The ploughing match came off in 

 good style. The show of cattle was not large, nor 

 generally excellent, btit there were some fine speci- 

 mens. The swine were generally good, and several 

 lots were as fine as we ever saw. The Suffolk pigs 

 attracted much attention. There were several good 

 colts and- young horses. The exhibition of poultry 

 was large, varied, and generally excellent. Edward 

 W. Bray, Canton, had in one large coop, with numer- 

 ot-is apartments, nineteen varieties of hens, from the 

 little fancy Bantam to the majestic India fowls. 



There was a fine show of implements. The dis- 

 play of vegetables and specimens of farm crops was 

 extensive, embracing a great variety ; and the quality, 

 as to appearance, was remarkably fine. It was the 

 largest and best show of vegetakles that we ever 

 »aw. 



The horticultural department, consisting of fruits 

 and flowers, was very fine, considering the season 

 has been so unfavorable for some species of fruit. 



The address was delivered by Hon. M. P. Wilder, 

 president of the society. It was deeply interesting 

 as a sensible discourse, and was interspersed with 

 sage remarks and specimens of wit. There was a 

 great rush to the church to hear it, but hundreds 

 could not gain admission. The orator excited pro- 

 found attention ; and that discourse must be excel- 

 lent that holds an audience so long chained to the 

 speaker, while so many exciting scenes were around 

 them. The delivery of the address required one hour 

 and fifteen minutes. On such occasions, when there 

 Ls so much to do, and so much to be seen, it might 

 be well to limit the orator to half an hour, lest we 

 have too much of a good thing. An original hymn 

 by Rex,. John Pierpont, and an ode by George Lunt, 

 Esq.,, constituted a part of the interesting exercises 

 in the church. 



At the dinner table there was an immense num- 

 ber of persons. Yet hundreds, and many from 



other sections who took a deep interest in agricul- 

 ture, were sadly disappointed in learning that the 

 sale of tickets was limited to members. This was 

 the more grievous, as they could not hear the dis- 

 tinguished gentlemen who had honored this occasion 

 with their presence. There were jiresent Governor 

 Briggs, and Ex- Governors Lincoln and Everett ; Hill, 

 of New Hampshire ; lions. D. Webster, H. Mann, and 

 R. C. Winthrop, the venerable Mr. Quincy, Ex-Presi- 

 dent of Harvard College, now a practical fariHer, and a 

 host of others distinguished for talents and station. The 

 dinner was continued long, and many speeches were 

 made, as might well be expected from so many gen- 

 tlemen noted for their ability. We doubt Mhether 

 a dinner of even the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England ever presented such an array of talent — so 

 many orators always ready for any emergency. 



As to the arrangements for dinner, our remarks 

 are not in the way of complaint, but we make them 

 with a view to improvement, and with a confi- 

 dence that those who were disappointed will, if 

 they attend in futui'e, be provided for. This society 

 is young, and generally they have done remarkably 

 well, and much credit is due the officers for their 

 good management. May the future prosperity of this 

 infant association contradict the old adage, that a 

 bright child never lives long. 



ESSEX CATTLE SHOW. 



The Essex Agricultural Society held their annual 

 festival at Salem, September 27. The day was fine, 

 and a late rain had laid the dust. There was an im- 

 mense number in attendance, crowding that city full ; 

 and in some places it was difficult to get a fair vievr 

 of the show, so great was the crowd. The plough- 

 ing was generally done well; some parts were excel- 

 lent ; but on two or three lands the grass appeared 

 rather prominent between the furrow slices. 



There was a good show of stock : some specimens 

 of cattle were fine, and among them was our native 

 breed. There was an excellent show of poultry, of 

 almost every kind, but mostly hens. Some lots were 

 very fine. This branch is receiving more attention 

 by our agricultural societies, and should be encour- 



