The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1825-10-26
aQrtcuItural.
Worcester County agricultural So
Cietg.
Report on Working Oren.

Report on Working Orea.
The Committee on Working Oxen have per-
formed the service assigned them, and ask leave
to submit the following Report
The number of teams of one yoke of oxen
each which were entered, were sixteen--thir-
teen of which were subjected to trial of
strength for the premiums offered; and the
| Committee have no hesitation in declaring
their belief that the performances were fully
equal to those of former exhibitions.
The teams were all in good order, well train
| ed, and did the work in manner which prov
ed their great physical power and an extraor-
binary subsection to their drivers.-The mas
tiers were kind and the servants yielded will
| ling obedience.
| The trial was had upon a common cart, con-
! tanning 40 cwt. of stones, which was drawn up
sharp ascent, and so well sustained was the
competition, that the Committee have found
some difficulty in settling the claims of the sew
eral competitors. have, however, gov
erned themselves by the rules laid down by the
Society, giving preference to young, rather
than old cattle, where no other positive differ
ence existed; and have awarded to Royal t.
Marble, OF Sutton, the first premium Of $l5, for
his remarkable four years old oxen.-The sec
ond premium of $12, to Moses Adams, of SUIT
ton, for bis cattle Of the same age.-The third
premium of $40, TO Benjamin Woodbury., Jr. of
Sutton, for his five years old oxen and the
| fourth premium, of S., to Samuel Sibley of
Sutton, for his four years old cattle.-Sutton,
therefore, still maintains its character, and is,
as has Justly been observed, the land of oxen,
and bears down all competition.
After the contest for premiums was over, two
pairs Of three years old Steers, the one owned
by Doctor ARENAS Billiard, and the other by
Mr.. Cummings, of Sutton, were entered for an
exhibition of their strength and docility, and
each of them, to the surprise and admiration Of
all present, drew the carts with 45 cwt. to the
top of the hill, and brought them steadily down
again.
If the Committee had more premiums to be-
stow, they would not do it grudgingly; for it
is their opinion, that every unsuccessful COM
petitor richly deserves one, and failed only from
being subjected to trial with most remarka-
bic animals.
The work was performed with little noise
and little whipping.
This part of our annual exhibition has been
sustained, from year to year, without any ap-
parent diminution of competitors, or of zeal
and interest, and has usually satisfied the high
est expectations throng of spectators,
who assemble to see the fine animals, the per-
feet discipline, the surprising strength, furnish
es proof that this part of the exhibition COM
mands much of public favour, and exc4tes an
intense interest. The Committee also viewed
| a team of working s.ea froaI N'Oro~ss 90, o~''
| sistlng OF 10 yoke, and wore much delighted
with the spirited manner in which this team
| (the best that has as yet been produced, in
their opnon,) was brought together, and with
the remarkably fine appearance of the cattle.
They sincerely hope, that the custom of bring
ing to the Show annually such team will not
be discontinued. With few general observa-
tions the Committee viii close their Report, as
they have no time to go more into detail.
| In former ages, men assembled to amuse
themselves with pitching quoits and the bar,
with running, wrestling, jumping, and other
gymnastc exercises; and to those who excell-
! ed, premiums were awarded. In those days,
tlae Ok was destined either to run wild, or to
| drag his burdens by the tail or the horns-and
these were the days, when nations persisted
with famine. Thanks to the efforts of more
modern ages, which have given wiser direc-
ton to the energies of man, which have ena-
bled him to make better use OF the beneti-
cent provisions Of kind Providence, and turn
ed his thoughts to the arts of peace and the
| improvement of his own condition--we now
hear of no famines, we know nothing of that
| squalid poverty, that wretchedness and dis
tress with which the world in former ages has
| been afflicted. And why is it that plenty and
happiness is difusing itself every where? 1t is
not because the earth is more 'propitious, or
| yields her products with,le labour but be-
cause instead of warning against nature, we as
sist her. The time was when human strength
spent itself in fortifyipg castles, in chivaric ad-
venture, and in the sports of the chase but
now it is directed TO the improvement OF the
human species. Philosophy, too, formerly ex-
hausted itself in scholastic subtilties, but now
ministers to the arts, and has become the po-
| tent practical friend of man. Of ourselves,
unaided by the brute creation, we are almost
| feeble and helpless. We can plan but cannot
execute. We can cut down and dig up, but
cannot remove--and what is now the labour
of but day, we should despair of accomplish
ing. How rational then is this pastime, which
couples with amusement the Improvement Of
domestic animals9 How worthy the public
countenance, and how deserving the attention
Of all who would promote the comfort and hap
piness Of the human race.
| JOHN DAVIS,
DANIEL TENNEY,
/ SETH WYMAN,
| LEVI BARTLETT.