276 
Berkshire Cattle Show and Fair* 
infinite service to the members of our State Agricul¬ 
tural Society to attend their meetings, and learn a les¬ 
son in the management. It is, a truth, which every 
attentive observer will readily admit, that the arrange¬ 
ments are properly made and punctually carried out. 
And why should they not ? Many of them have been 
members ever since the first organization, and most of 
them have grown up with the Society, and are as 
familiar Avith its details as they are with the details of 
their farms. 
The show of animals, particularly working oxen and 
steers, exceeded any former exhibition which I have 
ever attended ; there being one hundred and ten yoke 
on the ground of well-matched and well-trained cattle, 
mostly red, and in high Avorking condition; yea, some 
of them more fit for the butcher than some I have seen 
slaughtered for beef in Albany. It was aptly said, in 
the report, that “ there were but feAV among them that 
did not carry marked proofs that they came from a 
land of peace and of plenty, and were strangers to 
Pharaoh’s lean kine.” It was a most gratifying dis¬ 
play. 
The exhibition of cows and heifers surpassed any 
former sIioav. They were in fine condition, and show¬ 
ed evident improvement both in size and form. I must, 
however, with all due deference, beg leave to differ in 
opinion Avith the Committee in awarding the premiums 
on coavs. I saw none on the ground which I consider¬ 
ed superior, if equal, to those exhibited by J. Clapp, 
Esq. His stock of cows, heifers, and calves, taken as 
a whole, Avere, in my humble opinion, decidedly the 
best on the ground, and one or two of his animals 
richly deserved the first premiums. His bull calf Avas 
a remarkably large and fat animal of his age ; but too 
coarse in the head, neck, and legs, to breed from. His 
heifer calf was a little beauty. 
The shoAV of bulls was not only deficient in num¬ 
bers, but in quality ; only one worthy of notice, and to 
him the first premium was very justly awarded. If a 
little more attention Avas paid to the quality, symmetry, 
and style of their bulls, a great improvement Avould 
soon be apparent. 
The swine, though not Amry numerous, were gene¬ 
rally very good ; and two of them Avould answer well 
to the portraits in a late London Farmer’s Magazine, 
of the “ Improved Essed Hogs,” which took the first 
premium at the fair of the Royal Agricultural Society 
of England. 
The sheep I did not examine, but understood they 
we're very fair specimens. 
The specimens of home industry , exhibited in the 
Town Hall, arranged as usual, Avith good taste, by 
Messers. Beebe and Colt, consisting of the handiwork 
of the ever-industrious daughters of Berkshire, bore 
evident marks of improvement. The specimens of 
cloth were unusually large, and of superior quality. 
A pair of white woolen blankets, made and exhibited 
by Mrs. Chapman of Pittsfield, exceeded any thing of 
the kind I ever beheld. The Empress of Russia might 
feel proud to possess them. A piece of flannel, made 
and exhibited by Mrs. Worden of Richmond, was much 
admired for its softness and even texture by all who 
examined it; so was also a beautiful piece of linen 
diaper, made by Mrs. Churchill of Pittsfield. The 
specimens of embroidery, presented by Mrs. Root and 
others, could hardly be excelled, and added much to the 
display, and furnished evidence that the females 
“ Avhose home is among the hills and vallies,” know 
what constitutes the elegancies as Avellas the substan¬ 
tial? of life. In short, take it altogether, this exhibi¬ 
tion of truly domestic manufactures would, I think, 
satisfy the most incredulous that we have the ability of 
rendering ourselves independent of foreign industry. 
The number of competitors for the premium on but¬ 
ter was greater than at any former exhibition, which 
was accounted for by the reducing the quantity re¬ 
quired from 100 to 50 lbs. There were thirteen lots 
offered, all of which Avere of superfine quality and put 
up in good order, and reflect great credit on the mak¬ 
ers. There were only three lots of 100 lbs. each of 
cheese offered, but they were of rare quality. 
The Fair of the “ Young Ladies’ Benevolent So¬ 
ciety,” in the evening was well attended and the room 
tastefully decorated with evergreens, which beautifully 
contrasted Avith white dresses and smiling faces. The 
tables were well filled and beautifully arranged—some 
with fancy and some with taste -y articles, too tempting 
to look at merely. And then, the way in Avhich the 
keen eyes of the ladies who stood behind them, as 
saleswomen, moved about the room in search of cus¬ 
tomers, Avas a caution to those who had the wherewith 
about them. The cakes were excellent, and the ice¬ 
cream delicious. Sales, however, not as brisk and 
animated as heretofore, but full equal to the expecta¬ 
tions of its friends. This closed the proceedings of the 
first day. 
The morning of the second day opened with a bril¬ 
liant sun, a clear blue sky, with scarcely a cloud to be 
seen, and at an early hour the sacred stillness which 
pervaded nature was broken by the busy hum of prepa¬ 
ration for the most exciting and interesting part of the 
exercises—the Plowing Match, Avhich was to take place 
at 8 o’clock. The field selected for the contest of the 
plowmen was situated about two miles southeast of the 
village, in the beautiful valley of the silent Housatonic, 
whose surrounding scenery of hills and dales were 
decked in Autumn’s charming and varied foliage. 
When I arrived on the ground, I found it surrounded 
on all sides by multitudes of both sexes, in anxious ex¬ 
pectation of the coming contest. The field was laid off 
in lands of one-fourth of an acre each, and the time al¬ 
lotted for plowing that portion was one hour, with a 
rest of five minutes. There were 21 teams entered for 
competition, 13 horses and 8 of oxen. The longest 
time consumed by any plowman was 59 minutes—the 
shortest 35 minutes. Each plowman drove his oAvn 
team and performed his own Avork in a manner Avhich 
reflects great credit on our improved husbandry, and 
with that skill for which the plowmen of Berkshire are 
so famed. 
It was with no small degree of pleasure, I found a 
large number of the improved ploAvs of Messrs. Rug- 
gles, Nourse & Mason’s manufacture. All the pre¬ 
miums were awarded to the plowmen using these 
plows. 
At 11 o’clock the procession was formed under the 
direction of the Marshal, and mo\ r ed to the church, 
preceded by the excellent Berkshire band of music. 
The annual address was pronounced by R. F. Barnard, 
Esq. of Sheffield, the President of the Society, and was 
listened to Avith great attention by a large and very re¬ 
spectable audience. It was replete with sound sense, 
and confined, as all addresses of this kind should be, 
mostly to practical suggestions, and treated with great 
force and elegance. 
After the Address of the President, the Reports of 
the several Committees were read by the Secretary, and 
the premiums, in plate, were delivered by the Treasu¬ 
rer, to the successful competitors. 
After partaking an excellent dinner With the mem¬ 
bers of the Society, prepared by Messrs. Warriner & 
Cooley, of the Berkshire Hotel, I took my seat in the 
cars for Albany, well pleased with the success of 
“ Berkshire’s festal days.” C. N. Bement. 
