in his highly finished and fine toned viola, violoncello and violin, premium, $2. The thanks of the Society are also due Mr. Augustus Robinson for the superior musical instruments of foreign make exhibited by him. The wood carvings by Mr. Stevens of Corey's establishment, a self taught artist, of sofa and chairs, were equal to the carving in wood of the German chairs brought by A. L. E. Clapp, Esq., from Europe. All which is respectfully submitted. Per order Committee. CUMBERLAND SOCIETY. 1852. The Cattle Show and Fair of the Cumberland County Agricultural Society, was held in Portland, October 20 and 21. An address was delivered by JOSIAH PIERCE, Jr. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. ON WORKING OXEN. Your committee on working oxen beg leave to make the following report: They would award to Edwin Hunnewell of Windham, for 8 ox team, first premium. John T. Leavitt of Portland, for 4 ox team, first premium, George Drinkwater of Falmouth, for best pair working oxen, first premium, $8.00 6 00 5 00 3.00 2.00 Respectfully submitted, JOHN P. PERLEY, Chairman. Joshua D. Roberts of Westbrook, second best pair ON STEERS AND BULLS. The committee recommend the following awards, viz: John P. Perley, premium for best bull, Mark Trickey, premium for second best bull, $4.00 3 00 4 00 3.00 A. W. CHUTE, For the Committee. ON COWS AND CALVES. The committee beg leave to report as follows: John F. Leavitt, Portland, premium for the best cow, Mark Trickey of Cape Elizabeth, second best cow, John F. Leavitt of Portland, third best cow, $5.00 4 00 3.00 Mark Trickey of Cape Elizabeth, best 2 years old heifer, 3 00 Charles Hunnewell of Windham, best heifer calf, Lorenzo D. Miller, best steer calf, Respectfully submitted, 2 00 2.00 JOHN F. LEAVITT, Chairman. ON HORSES. The committee attended to the examination of such horses as were entered for premium, and exhibited at the cattle show, and beg leave to report the following premiums awarded by them, viz: James Jack of Westbrook, for best stud horse, $5.00 5 00 4 00 Samuel Chase, Portland, second best work horse, Hiram Libbey, Cape Elizabeth, best colt with mare, 1 00 old, a gratuity of. 3 00 We also award to Barker & Dingley of Portland, for a fine pair of horses exhibited by them, 3 00 We would also add that some fine 2 horse and 4 horse teams were exhibited by several persons, highly creditable to their taste, but they were not entered for premium. Also, several 3 years old colts worthy of attention, were on the ground, not entered for premium. All which is respectfully submitted, HENRY PENNELL, Chairman. ON SHEEP AND SWINE. The committee awarded about $20 last fall, and this year award $31. The exhibition was not very extensive, but indicates a growing improvement upon some exhibitions of former years. Premiums are awarded as follows on sheep: John Webb of Windham, for best ewes, (5 in number,) $5 00 For buck, second premium, 2.00 Charles Hunnewell of Windham, exhibited one ewe and one last spring lamb. As no premium is awarded for less than 5 sheep in number, we recommend him a gratuity of 1 00 John Maxwell of Cape Elizabeth, for one buck, (imported stock,) . He also exhibited another buck, one-fourth Scotch breed. George Drinkwater, Cumberland, for one fine buck, (Saxony breed,) 3.00 3 00 SWINE. Judging from the smallness of the exhibition of swine, it is very clear that we do not "go the whole hog" in Cumberland county, or appreciate the necessity of improving the breed. No one doubts that the business of raising swine might be productive of great profit, and yet we find only a very few persons engaging in the business. We forget, perhaps, that the city of Cincinnati, "the queen city of the West," owes most of its prosperity to these harmless animals, and that they are slaughtered by thousands annually in that city, and also in Louisville, Kentucky, to enable their two legged fellow citizens to "feast on fat things." Perhaps the farmers in Cumberland are more tender hearted than those in the West, and dislike to raise up these affectionate creatures to be sacrificed at the slaughter house. But since some must die that others may live, and the hogs are all destined to die by assassination, would it not be well for our farmers to emulate the example of the good people of Cincinnati and Louisville, in encouraging the multiplication of these animals, reconciling them to their destiny? At Louisville, within the last two years, about 200,000 hogs have been cruelly slaughtered, packed into barrels, and thence packed off to all parts of the Union, to be packed into the stomachs of other animals, some of whom are no better than the hogs themselves. We do not complain of this wholesale slaughter of hogs, if the necessities of the times demand it; but we do complain that our farmers in Maine (who cry out so much about monopoly) should not monopolize their share in the business of raising these docile and affectionate creatures. General Washington seemed to understand this business. He raised more hogs in his day than any man in Virginia. Owning several plantations, and having a large number of dependents to feed, he carried on farming on a large scale. Every thing he attempted was done on a magnificent plan, whether in peace or war, and his example ought to be worthy of imitation. While he was presiding over that able and responsible convention which bound the original thirteen States of our confederacy in perpetual union-a union which has now existed sixty-five years, and will probably exist forever, he was still mindful of his farming operations, and was constantly giving and receiving information through a correspondence with his farming agents. One letter that he received contained the astounding information that a civil war had actually commenced in his absence, and 150 hogs fell victims to its fury. A postscript to the letter further stated that the enemy (all told) when stripped of nature's military costume, weighed in the aggregate 18,560 pounds. Now if General Washington believed 65 years ago, it was no sin to slaughter swine for the support of mankind, we hope our tender hearted farmers will take courage by his example and raise them to the greatest possible extent. It by no |