[Thanks to Linda Smith for transcribing this chapter]
CHAPTER XLIV.
Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
One of the best and most useful institutions to the farmers of Marshfield and vicinity is, and has been, the Marshfield Agricultural & Horticultural Society.
It was organized in 1867, and incorporated in 1868. It was a successful movement from the start; not only did the farmers of the town become interested, but everybody, whether engaged in Agriculture, Horticulture or not, were interested in the society, and the interest was not limited to the confines of the town, but Duxbury, Scituate, Pembroke and some other near by towns in the county became part and parcel of the society and worked for its advancement. Its officers were scattered through neighboring towns. The annual fairs held by the society in September, and sometimes in August, have been a great attraction to the people.
It has brought together in a sort of "home week" the natives whose homes are removed some distance from their native soil in Boston, Quincy, Weymouth, Braintree and more distant places, and here on the fair grounds once a year they meet their former schoolmates; and not only the people out of town, but the residents of the town come together, not having met since the last fair, a year before, and they chat, laugh and enjoy a good social time. It is a gala day for the country around. This, however, is only a part of the attractions. Fruit and vegetables are brought in abundance. The tables in the hall and basement are filled with them, affording a beautiful display, and giving the visitor an opportunity (if a farmer) of comparing his own products with those on exhibition. Then the exhibition of cattle, horses, swine, sheep and poultry attract the eye of all