116 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



OCTOBER 33, 1S34. 



From llie (Concord) Yeonian^s GazetU. 

 THF MIDDLESEX COUNTY AGRICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY 



Held its anmial Fair in this town, on We(ines- 



day list. Tlie <J;iy was propitious, and a larger 

 concourse of people assembled than on any previ- 

 ous oce.asion. The nuinher of entries of stock 

 were 111; 51 entries at the pens, 23 entries of 

 working oxen, 19 of fat oxen ; last year there were 

 but 6 entries of fat oxen. 



Six double tennis and twelve sin^'le ones were 

 entered to contest the Plonirliing Match, .Tiul re- 

 paired to the spot at 9 o'clock. The woik we 

 understand was handsomely done, though — owing 

 perhaps to the soil being .somewhat harder than 

 usual — it was not all done within the time. 



A number of yokes of very fine oxen were 

 brought to the trial of strength in drawing loads. 

 Of the comparative merit of this exhibition we 

 are unable to speak. The long team numbered 

 103 yokes of oxen. 



At half past ten o'clock, the Society was form- 

 ed in procession .-it Shepbcril's hotel, and escorted 

 by a band of music, entered the meeting house for 

 the public services. An appropriate (irayer was 

 offered by Rev. Mr. Woodbury, of Acton, chap- 

 lain for the occasion, and the address by Luther 

 Lawrence, Est], of Lowell. These exercises were 

 accompanied by appropriate and excellent nmsic, 

 performed by the singi-rs of the town in comiec- 

 tion with the band. The large bouse of the First 

 Society was literally filled, including a good pro- 

 portion of the fairer sex. Of the A(l<lress we are 

 scarcely able to speak in terms of justice. The 

 proiluclion w;is characterized by a li.ippy selection 

 of topics, jnilicionsly and ably discussed, iind was 

 replete with sound sense .anil practical truth. Tbe 

 orator chose for his general llieme, " the coun- 

 ty OF MiDDLESF.x." lie spoke first of our Ances- 

 tors, their general character, habits and pmsnils, 

 particularly as agriculturists. In contrasting the 

 agriculture of the country with wlnit it formerly 

 was, thespeakij- remarked that in many instances 

 the same acres produce now three times what 

 they did fifty ypars ago. He showed and with 

 great clearness and force, the iiriportance of the 

 markets of the coujitry to its agriculture. 



The speaker next cited attention to the Public 

 Inslitidions and Puhlic If'urks of the county, re- 

 marking that iii ritference to these establishments, 

 Middlesex exceeds any other ecpial portion of the 

 country. He enumerateil particularly Cambridge 

 College, the mother of our literary institutions — 

 with its law and divinity school ; Newton Theo- 

 tegical Listitulion ; Mount Auburn ; the Navy 

 Yard at Cbarlestown ; our Hospitals ; Massachn- 

 eetts Agricultural Society having its seat at Brigh- 

 ton ; Stale Prison at Charlestown ; IJoston and 

 Worctesier Rail Road intcrsccling the Comity ; 

 Middlesex Canal. The water power of the coun- 

 ty, the speaker suggested, was probably better oc- 

 cupied than that of any other etpial section of the 

 country. He stated if we imderstood him right 

 that the manufactories and mechanical products 

 of Middlesex exceed annually those of any other 

 county in the United States. Paper niannfi(Mo- 

 ries of which there are fonrlecn, glass, nail, cast- 

 ing, card, whip, scythe, &c. were enutnerated ; 

 also establishnients for mtuiufacturing cotton ma- 

 chinery. The manufacture of cotton was stated 

 we believe, to be double that of any other county, 

 and the manufacture of vfoo! to be greater than 



that of any other county. The speaker adverted 

 to the late enterprise of procuring ice fnnn Fresh 

 'oiid, in Cambridge, for exportation, and spoke 

 of the facilities for the successful and profitable- 

 prosecution of this enterprise. The speaker also 

 noticed the butchery at Cambridge, at which there 

 are inore animals slaughtered, than at any other 

 slaughtering place in the world. 



The condition of the manufacturing and mechan- 

 ical interests of the County in connection with 

 those of Agriculture, in those towns parli(-nlariy, 

 which are immediately adjacent to markets, afford- 

 eil an excellent illustration, which the speaker im- 

 proved, of the iiii|)ortance of manufactures and ihi' 

 arts to the success of husbandry. The speaker did 

 not omit the suggesti<m that the existing state ol 

 things in the county promises an iiK^rease of pop- 

 ulation, and improvement, and wealth, surpassing 

 almost any other county in the Stale. ■ 



The speaker here remarked upon the influence 

 which Societies may exert in reference to the 

 prosecution of the important interests of the conn- 

 try. His remarks upon the subject of highways 

 were well timed, appropriate and excellent ; the 

 same may be observed of his remarks respecting 

 the preservation of timber. 



The occa.-iou offered a fit opportunity to allude 

 to the subject of a proposed division of the coun- 

 ty ; ami the allusion of Mr. Lawrence to the sub- 

 ject, we think was such as to convince all present 

 of the inexpediency of division. The orator clos- 

 ed, after having held the undivided attention ol 

 the audience for nearly an hour, with a happy 

 anil eloquent appeal in behalf of Temperance. 



We have given but a very imperfect synopsis of 

 this instructive and excellent adiliess ; and we 

 think the Society cannot better subserve its own 

 inlerels and those of the community generally, 

 than in requesting a co|)y and giving it to the pub- 

 lic. 



There were ISO entries of articles at the court 

 bouse, few of which, however, we had <qiportuni- 

 ty to notice. Fruit which was used at the table 

 was very fine, particularly grapes and peaches. 

 The premium cider also was of an excellent qual- 

 ity- 

 There were also some noble exliibition.s of fat 

 oxen. We noticed particularly a pair owned by 

 Reuben Damon, of Cambridge, weighing 5,106 

 lbs. another pair owned by Ichidiod Stow, of Stow, 

 5 years old, weighing 4,105 lbs. ijotli these 

 yokes were very superior cattle. The latter is 

 rarely equalled, considering thi'ir age and mode 

 of keeping, in any part of the connly. 



One fine ox owned by James Hrown, of Frain- 

 ingharn, and one owned by Zadoc Riigeis, of l^ow- 

 ell, obtained premiums. The eviiiliitinn of work- 

 ing oxen was remarked to be deciiledly superior 

 to any one before made in the county. 



There were some superior exhibitions of swine 

 which received premimns. 



The dinner of which the Society and invited 

 guests partook at half past 2, P. M. was served in 

 Mr. Shepherd's usually neat and siimplnons style. 



It must be highly gratifying to the Yeomanry 

 of the county to meet each other once a year, and 

 on an occasion so immediately connectid with 

 their own interests. We hope that increased jit- 

 tenlion will be paiil to this occasion, and that the 

 next anniversary will witness a very markeil im- 

 provement in all the deiiartments of domestic in- 

 dustry. 



LIST OF PREMllMS. 



IJelsey Wright, Wesiford, carpet, - $5 



Mary Proctor, Littleton, rng, - - 4 



.Sally M. Nichols, Wesiford, do. - - 3 



Anna Lovijoy, Carlisle, do. - - 2 



Adeline Cogswell, Concord, a gratuity, - 1 



Lucy Ucdibins, Acton, do - 1 



."dariha Fiske, Lincoln, do - 1 



Widow Mary Williams, Marlboro', do - 1 



R. Stearns, Bedford, do - 1 



Mrs. T. Presrott, Concord, do - 1 



Louisa H. Hartwell, Bedford, coverlet, - 4 



Lois Monroe, Carlisle, do - 3 



llaimah L. C. Green, Carlisle, gratuity, - 2 



Mary Sletirns, Wallhiim, lio - 1 



Sarah Luring, Groton, do - 1 



Mary R. Mllilreth, Groton, do - 1 



Anna Wbitcondi, Boxboro', do - 1 



Sarah Fox, Dracnt, do - 1 



Sarah Wheeler, (ag. 4 yrs.) Concord, do. 1 



Rhoda Carter, Chelmsford, hearth rng, - 1 



Sybil Parker, jialcli car[iet, 1 



Mary E. Foster, do - 1 



Mary Dudley, Concord, silk qnilt, - 1 



Emily 1\I. Il.istiiigs, Lincoln, do - 1 



Eliza H. Hartwell, Bedliu-d, patch quilt, ,50 



Lydia A. llaynes, (ag. 3 yrs.) qnilt, ,50 



David Rogers, Tewksbury, 6 pr. half hose, 3 



Moses Whitney, Slow, do - 2 



Lydia Rogers, Tewksbury, 8 |ir. long hose, 1,50 



Esther Wliiluey, Slow, 4 pr. ladies w. hose, 1 



lielief Rohbins, do. 2 pr. long liose, - ,50 



Lucy Tra.sk, Concord, 2 pair do. - ,50 



Snsan Faulkner, Alston, 1 pr. woollen bose, ,50 



Lucy Miriam, Concmil, 3 pr. ladies hose, ,50 



Olive Pnscolt, Wesiford, woolirn blanket, 3 



Zailock Rogers, Lowell, best plain cloth, 6 



Zadink Rogers, do. b^st flannel, 2d prem. 4 



Gratuities. 



Thankful Hnlcbinsou, Carlisle, caps lace, ,50 



David Rogers, Tewksbury, do. do. ,50 



Eunice Cutler, Groton, chilli's winter dress, ,50 



Lyilia ]5radley, Lowell, net shawl, ,50 



Mrs. T. Prescolt, Concord, lamp stand rug, ,50 



Louisa Boyntiui, Carlisle, 2 lace capes, ,50 



I-Mlia Whitney, Stow, linen net bag, ,50 



Charluite Dniton, Acton, 1 lace pelerine, 1 

 Asclial C. Parker, Billerica, 1 hindered merino 



shawl, ...... 1 



Louisa M. Preston, do. silk work hag, - ,50 



Emily Rogers, Lowell, 4 pieires lace work, 1 



Caroline Parker, Billerica, 1 piece do. - ,50 



Sarah P. llosmer. Concord, bead purse, ,50 



Eli/a Wliiicomb, Slow, do. ,50 



Lyilia Whitney, do. bead chain, - ,50 



Manila M. Conant, do. do. ,50 



.Sarah A. Loriiig, Groton, do. ,25 



Nancy Tnllle, Acton, do. ,25 



Sally Ann Hastings, beautiful head bag, 1 



Fidelia Rogers, Tewksbury, do. ,75 



Abby Rogers, do. do. ,50 



Mary Hartwell, Bedford, do. ,25 



Olive Richardson, Wesllnrd, do. ,25 



Cliarliiile Coiiaiii, Adou, do. ,25 

 Lyilia 11. IJayivard, Bedford, melon seed and 



bead bag, . - - . . ,75 



Sarah How, Concord, bead bag, - ,50 



Jane Bigilow, Boxboro', do. - - ,50 

 Ellen B. Wheeler, Frainingham, wafer box 



and chain, ----- ,50 



Sophia Taylor, bend neck chain, - ,50 

 C.iroliue Hayward, Dracut, 1 pair of silk half 



liose, ------ 1 



