oxen are worked. They were in a thriving condition, and well adapted for every kind of service.

On Wednesday there was a grand ploughing-match at the ground, with thirteen competitors and a well arranged order of exercises. The soil was laid over in a skilful manner, to the satisfaction of competent judges and a large and enthusiastic attendance of spectators. The exhibition was held in the City Hall, and was of the highest order. The display of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other plants, was worthy of the fullest commendation. Contributions of the mechanic arts and manufactures were superior to any other exhibitions at our county fairs. The manufactured fabrics were from the renowned mills of the city, and were unsurpassed for the richness and beauty of their texture and the magnificence of their display, being in elaborately carved cases, resembling the centennial exhibition. The total cash value of these fabrics was estimated at a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

The address was delivered by Rev. O. S. Butler of Georgetown. His subject, "The Characteristics of the Successful Farmer," was ably and happily treated, showing that the want of success arose from the same general cause which produced similar results in all the pursuits of life; viz., the want of adaptability,the wrong man in the wrong place. It was an eloquent and practical discourse.

The annual dinner, in a large tent on the Common, where were seated over seven hundred, was served up in good taste. At the close, the president of the society, Mr. Benjamin P. Ware, extended his congratulations on the favorable auspices under which this exhibition had been held, and the character and variety of farm products, fruits, and the unsurpassed manufactured productions, all of which had proved sufficient to attract attention without the introduction of horse-trots and base-ball matches. Excellent addresses followed from Dr. William Coggswell of Bradford, councillor from Essex; ex-President Joseph Howe of Methuen; Hon. James J. H. Gregory of Marblehead; and Dr. George B. Loring, M.C. His Excellency Gov. Alexander H. Rice addressed the meeting in an eloquent and practical speech, congratulating the society on the enterprise of the farmers of the old Bay State, and saying that all the pursuits of our nation were bound in unison with agriculture, and that God had given us the means to make us the greatest nation since the dawning of creation. His remarks were received with rapturous applause.

This society has a large revenue from means invested, and is free from debt. Great credit is due to the president and other

executive officers for the management of the fair, and the demonstration of this fact, that a successful fair, instructive, pleasing, and elevating in its tone, can be held without the aid of 2.40s and their concomitant allies.

Your delegate is under obligations to the president, Benjamin P. Ware, Esq., and his associates of the society, for the pleasant memories, which will long remain, of the courteous and cordial entertainment which he received from them, and he takes pleasure in recommending this society to the favorable notice of the State Board.

ALEXANDER MACY, Jun.

MIDDLESEX NORTH.

On my way to Lowell, I stopped over one train in Springfield to see the first day's exhibit of the Hampden Society; and, visiting the show of the Middlesex North on the following day, the different methods of the two societies were contrasted in my mind. Each has its location in a thrifty and enterprising city, surrounded by towns largely engaged in agriculture.

The Hampden Society holds its exhibits of live-stock, save poultry, on Hampden Park, while the usual hall exhibition is shown in the City Hall of Springfield. My only wonder was, that so few people were present to see the really excellent display in all departments of the show; and the question was suggested, whether this division of the exhibition on Hampden Park and in the City Hall might not account, in part, for the small attendance. The Middlesex North, like most of the societies in the State, has concentrated all its exhibition in one place, having spacious grounds and a large hall within the same; so that one entrance-fee admits to the whole show.

Two things are essential to a successful exhibition, a large and attractive display of real, substantial worth, and the presence of a large crowd to see the same.

Hence officers of agricultural societies, in laboring for a successful exhibition, must work with reference to these two essentials; and especially, since most societies depend quite largely upon admission-fees for means to meet current expenses, and continue future operations, it becomes a matter of the first importance that the management of the affairs of the society and of the exhibition be such as to secure a large attendance.

This fair of the Middlesex North, judged by the attendance, must be pronounced a success.

It was evident that the officers, while taking proper care of the character of the exhibition, had skilfully adapted means to ends, so as to secure the large attendance, and thus secure financial

success.

This society is to be congratulated in having live men at its head, who know how to plan, and have the ability to execute their plans, for the prosperity of the society.

I saw the various exhibits of stock, not large in number, nor specially noteworthy in quality.

A herd of Brittany cattle was the centre of attraction in the stock line. Feats of running, both of men and horses, aroused the usual interest and enthusiasm. The large hall - amply filled with the choice products of farm and garden, mills, households, and shops - was also filled with eager, interested spectators.

I am not able to particularize the special entries worthy of mention; and there is the less need of this, since the secretary of this Board was himself present, with his Excellency Gov. Rice, and the speaker and clerk of the present House, who constituted no small part of the exhibition itself.

METCALF J. SMITH.

MIDDLESEX SOUTH.

The Twenty-fourth Annual Exhibition of the Middlesex South Agricultural Society, at South Framingham, was held on Sept. 18 and 19. I arrived on the grounds on the morning of the first day of the fair. I found the society had beautiful grounds of about thirty acres, and had built upon them a long string of sheds for cattle and horses, with a goodly number of pens for sheep and swine; all being convenient for use, and in good repair. During the day there was a large number of cattle of the different breeds brought in for exhibition; and several swine were in the pens provided for them. The pens were well arranged, with good accommodations for loading and unloading the swine.

Among the exhibitors was C. H. Tilton, with his fine Dutch cattle. E. Burnett, E. F. Bowditch, and Moses Ellis had several pens filled with nice cows and heifers of the Jersey breed. E. F. Bowditch had some very fine Guernsey heifers, that looked very promising for the dairy. John Johnson, Sturtevant Brothers, and W. S. Phelps had several head of cattle on exhibition, of the Ayrshire breed, that were very good. There were several pairs of working-oxen on the grounds. The show of swine was large :

most of them showed good breeding and good feeding. Several coops of poultry on exhibition attracted considerable attention.

The exhibition of fruits, flowers, and vegetables in the hall, was not as large as in former years; but there were some as nice pears, peaches, and tomatoes as could be seen anywhere. The baskets of potatoes that were exhibited showed great growth and superior quality; while several specimens of seed-corn were very creditable to the owners.

The ploughing and spading match on the second day was managed in a workmanlike manner by several competitors. The great attraction of the day was the exhibition of trained steers by Walter A. Gaskell of Mendon, sixteen years old; Charles Taft of Uxbridge, eighteen years old; Frank H. Wood, seventeen years old; and Eugene Batse of Mendon. The steers were hitched to the plough, and showed that they could do that kind of work well. They were hitched to an ox-cart, and showed that they were perfectly familiar in handling the cart, both by drawing a load, and backing the cart. Some of the steers spoken performed many things that

of were only one year old. They also it would seem impossible for cattle to do,—such as getting on a bench two feet high, one foot wide, and three feet long, and, while standing there, putting their forward feet on an elevation about fifteen inches higher. They were driven to jump through a hoop, and, at the same time, over a pole that was about two feet from the ground. They were taught to walk on their knees, to lie down and permit their driver to turn them over. One steer laid down while the other would jump over him. They were put on a plank in such a way that they would see-saw. Many other tricks were performed by these steers. This exhibition of trained steers

attracted the attention of a large number of people who seemed to say they never saw such feats performed by steers before. The exhibition of horses in the several divisions, both for breeding and farm use, was very creditable to the owners. There were a number of carriage-horses and roadsters, besides many fine young horses, which were worthy of notice.

At one o'clock on the second day, the officers and members of the society, with their families, assembled in the dining-hall, where dinner was furnished, which all seemed to enjoy for about half an hour. After dinner, Dr. George B. Loring delivered an interesting address, which occupied the time till the hour for the horsetrot, which was contested by a number of competitors for the purses amounting to six hundred dollars.

The officers of this society are working-men, and have looked after the interest of the society in all its departments. Every thing was in its place; and the fair has been one of the best they ever had.

I would not fail to acknowledge the cordial welcome and generous hospitality extended to me by the president, David Nevins, jun., and lady. And there I witnessed some good farming in raising a field of twenty acres of corn, estimated to yield one hundred bushels of ears to the acre, with no other fertilizer than the Stockbridge Formula.

JOHN E. MERRILL.

WORCESTER.

The Worcester Agricultural Society, one of the largest and most honored in the Commonwealth, held its last Annual Fair on the days prescribed by the Board; and your delegate was there an impartial and critical observer. A good exhibition was expected from such a prosperous city of fifty thousand inhabitants, backed up as it is by a coterie of fifty-six such industrial towns. Considering the fact that this venerable society has five grown-up, independent daughters settled about her, each with flourishing families of their own, it seemed to us a wonder that twenty-six towns could be found, who would show their allegiance by making contributions to this parent-society.

But such was the case; and, so far as we could judge, the utmost cordiality prevailed. One of the noticeable features of the exhibition was the good old-fashioned ploughing-match, and the interest it awakened. It very properly opened the exercises; and there were twenty-two manly competitors, two-thirds of them driving ox-teams. The number and skill of the ploughmen only perplexed the judges, who in such cases are always deserving of pity. The display of cattle was select, varied, and creditable. The hardy Swiss, attracting attention by the 'constant tinkle of their soft-toned bells, the delicate Jerseys, the plump Ayrshires, the bright Devons, the portly and sluggish Shorthorns, were all ranged in good order for inspection and contrast. Besides these, there were grades of various sorts, and the choicest of the common herd, fat oxen and hardy steers, all betokening the primary and intermediate steps of bovine greatness.

Our esteemed friend Hadwen was, of course, there, with a dozen and a half of his favorite Jerseys, the result of nearly as many years of patient devotion to his chosen calling; but he had little, if any, competition. That he richly deserved to stand at the head, and win all the premiums he could, we never questioned; but when we learned that within the city limits there were two other large and valuable herds, and that there were nearly three hundred Jer