Page images
PDF
EPUB

Unless there was reason to doubt the purity of blood in this animal, or he had some special defect, or there was some rule excluding him from competition, it is not easy to see why he did not take a premium over grade animals, as the value of a bull consists not in his own personal appearance, but in his power of imparting to his progeny certain desirable qualities; and with thorough bred animals this is nearly or quite certain, while with grade bulls no certainty at all exists. Nothing but a probability, greater or less as the case may be.

Milch Cows. First premium to S. W. Hapgood, for a Native eight years old; gives 28 quarts per day for two months of best feed, and makes 8 pounds butter per week for four months of summer. Second premium to Perry Moore, for a Durham.

Third, to John Pierce, for a cross of Devon and Durham; last year made 130 pounds butter in less than five months, June to October, and raised calf till six weeks old.

Stock Cows. First premium to S. W. Hapgood of Avon, for grade Durham.

Second, to Edgar Hilton, for same.

Third, to John Gray, for same.

E. S. Hopkins showed a thorough bred Devon cow six years old, and Perry Moore a full blood Durham.

Sheep. First premium on buck, to S. W. Smith, for Spanish Merino, brought from Vermont, four years old; fleece of this year weighed 14 pounds 6 ounces.

Second and third premiums to Wm. R. Flint of North Anson, for Spanish Merinos.

First premium for 25 ewe sheep, Spanish Merinos, to Benj. Lane of Anson; average weight of fleece, 5 pounds.

Second, for 25 ewes, Jos. M. Smith, for same.

First premium for 25 lambs, to S. W. Smith of Anson, for Spanish Merino.

Second premium to George B. Gray.

Third premium to Wm. Pullen-all Spanish Merinos.

EAST SOMERSET SOCIETY.

The Secretary, Mr. Fuller, writes as follows:-"This Society now embraces 183 members. Its Annual Exhibition was held at Hartland, on the 13th, 14th and 15th days of September. We had the largest show of animals we have ever had since the Society was organized. There were 211 head of neat stock on exhibition. There have been a number of half blood Hereford bulls brought into the limits of the Society, which I think will improve our stock very much. There is quite an interest felt in raising horses. There were 86 horses and colts exhibited, and some of them very fine specimens. The show of sheep and swine was rather small. There is not so much interest taken in raising sheep here as in the western part of the county. The corn crop has been small, generally, but some very good. Wheat was almost a failure. Barley has done well; much larger amount raised than usual. than last year. The crop of potatoes has been very large for what was planted, and the quality very fine. Carrots and turnips are cultivated more extensively than in former years. Our soil is well adapted to the raising of all kinds of roots."

NEAT STOCK.

Oats much better

These appear to have been mostly grade Hereford, Devon and Durham. Some are spoken of as crosses of Devon and Hereford. A grade Devon cow is represented as being a very deep milker.

Sheep. Israel Smith showed a French Merino buck-the sheep generally appear to have been grade Merinos.

CROPS.

Indian Corn. First premium to Ai Woodbury of Hartland, for 140 bushels of ears on one acre.

Second premium to T. H. Ellit, 140 bushels.

Third premium to A. B. Taylor, for 138 bushels.

Fourth premium to Eleazer Crocker, for 137 bushels. Mr. C. grew on the whole of the piece (3 acres) 414 bushels of ears.

Barley. First premium to P. C. Haskell, for 44 bushels on

one acre.

Second premium to Philip Hubbard, for 44 bushels on corn land well dressed.

Third premium to J. C. Webb, for 461 bushels on one acre and sixteen square rods.

Fourth premium to John Rowell, for 40 bushels.

Rye. First premium to Israel Vining, 23 bushels on one acre.

Oats.

First premium to Israel Vining of St. Albans, for 611 bushels on an acre.

Second, to J. C. Webb, for 581 bushels.

Wheat. First premium to Warren Fuller, for 181 pushels per

acre.

Carrots. First premium to Sewall Davis, for 84 bushels on one-sixteenth of an acre.

Second, to Seth Webb, for 67 bushels.

Third, to Wm. M. Palmer, for 66 bushels.

Fourth, to Bryce Whiting, for 54 bushels on one-sixteenth of an

acre.

Ruta Bagas. First premium to David F. Libbey, for 222 bushels on one-fourth of an acre.

Second premium to Thomas Fuller, for 159 bushels on one-fourth of an acre.

Fourth and fifth, each for 96 bushels.

Potatoes. First premium to Israel Vining, for 203 bushels on half acre.

Second, to John Russell, for 190 bushels.

Third, to Americus Morrill, for 140 bushels.

Fourth, to W. J. Hall, for 137 bushels on half acre.

The soil upon which most of the root crops were grown, is described as a slaty loam; and they were not very highly manured.

PISCATAQUIS COUNTY SOCIETY.

The Annual Show was held at Dover on the 5th and 6th of October, 1859.

LIVE STOCK.

The animals shown seem to have been mostly grades; the statements are few and very imperfect.

Premium, for best Durham bull, to Josiah Dow; best bull calf, to Byley Lyford.

For best Hereford bull, to P. M. Jefferds; bull calf, to E. L. Hammond; also, to same for best cow.

For best Devon bull, to F. W. Brown; second best, to J. L. Robinson; best bull calf, to F. W. Brown.

For best stock cow, to George Blake.
For best milch cow, to N. B. Fish.

PLOWING MATCH.

This appears to have been more successful and satisfactory than is always the case. The committee say:

"The plowing match was an after thought, set to fill up the time of a two day's show, where one day only was the design when our prize list was issued, and no premiums are offered on this part of our exhibition. Under these circumstances, it is with much satisfaction that the managers of the society for the current year, witness the zeal that has been exhibited by so many to make the match interesting and profitable. It has been the fortune of some of the committee to witness many plowing matches at state and county fairs; and we speak with no desire to flatter-our honest thoughtwhen we say that we never witnessed one better conducted as a

whole, so far as the competitors are concerned. We have not heretofore been inclined to look on these contests with much favor, for the good to be drawn therefrom. Eight teams entered for the trial, six working with oxen and two with horses. The plows used were, with one exception, from the well known manufactory of Chandler, Brown & Co. of Foxcroft, the exception being a Hersey plow, from South Paris, Me. The depth of work made was from 7 to 9 inches, and the width about double the depth. The field was in a rather stiff sod; the conditions of soil varying from a sandy loam to that of a harder substance and mixed with stones, small and great, to a degree most perplexing to a plowman not possessed of a good christian temper. The great diversity in condition of the several lands drawn by the contestants, contributed much in making the assumed position of your committee one of extreme delicacy. The discipline of the teams, the careful, quiet and humane deportment of the several teamsters, the skill of the plowman, the condition of the plows, whether working with isolated or fin cutters, and the general appearance of the work when completed, were all noted as well as the diversity in soil as above; and so nicely balanced is the whole thing, with this uncertain sliding allowance for harder lots, that we would like to be excused from indicating our preferences in the

case.'

Premiums were, however, awarded to Simon Crockett of Dover, plowing with horse team, James Chandler of Foxcroft, with horse team, P. M. Jefferds of Foxcroft, W. B. Holmes of Foxcroft, Daniel Hutchinson of Sangerville, William Gilman of Foxcroft, Leonard Robinson of Foxcroft, and William S. Mayhew of Foxcroft, each working with oxen.

CROPS.

Indian Corn. First premium to Andrew J. Chase, 681 bushels

on one acre.

For best mixed crop, to Byley Lyford, Jr., for 72 bushels shelled corn, 3 bushels beans, and 4 loads pumpkins, on one acre. Second, to E. L. Hammond, 60 bushels corn, 4 bushels beans, and 3 loads pumpkins.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »