60 THE HISTOKY OF 



which about forty coops, containing some six hundred fowls, 

 were sent to the Garden and received on exhibition upon 

 the two last days of the Show ; and which could not be 

 recorded agreeably with the regulations made originally. 



" The palpable improvement in the appearance of the 

 fowls exhibited in 1850, as compared with the samples 

 sho*n in 1849, offers ample encouragement to breeders for 

 further and more extended efforts ; and your Committee 

 would urge it upon those who have already shown them- 

 selves competent to do so much, to go on and effect still 

 greater progress in the improvement of the poultry of New 

 England." 



This Report (the second of the series) did my stock ample 

 justice, I have not a doubt. I wrote it myself, and in- 

 tended that it should do so. The text was in nowise 

 changed when printed, and a reference to the document 

 (for that year) will convince the skeptical — if any exist — 

 whether I was or was not acquainted with adjectives in the 

 superlative degree ! 



A very singular occurrence took place about this time, 

 the basis of which I did not then, and have never since, 

 been able to comprehend, upon any principles of philoso- 

 phy, economy, business, benevolence, or even of sanity. But 

 I am not very clear-headed. 



In the addenda to my Report (above named) there ap- 

 peared the oaezed statement, by somebody : 



