SECOND DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 513 



I see in my prophetic vision your treeless plains covered with perpetual verdure, great 

 forests of golden fruit, and wide-spreading meadows of emerald grasses; beautiful homes, 

 surrounded with all the comforts of an advanced civilization ; churches and schools every- 

 where; a clean, healthy, moral, happy people, a self-reliant, self-supporting, self-respecting, 

 God-fearing people. I see along your lines of travel and among your homes charmed 

 towns and villages, where all arts of the architect and the landscape gardener have sup- 

 plemented the cultivated taste of the people, to show that these heaven-sent gifts are 

 worthily bestowed. I see this aspiring and ambitious City of Stockton, where your prod- 

 ucts are now gathered, and where we are now assembled, a large and prosperous center of 

 trade, holding to our metropolis the relation that the City of Philadelphia holds to the 

 metropolis of the East. A million people in that future that rises before me will enjoy 

 this fair land of yours, and claim it as their heritage. You and I, Mr. President, may not 

 see this in the flesh, but the boy and girl are before me who will witness this crowning 

 glory of this heaven-blessed land, now all our own. 



The new pavilion erected by the society during the past year, at a cost 

 of $45,000, is commodious and an ornament to the city. It is in the form 

 of a Greek cross, and affords much more room than was found necessary 

 for the last show. One arm of the cross in the gallery has been finished 

 with a floor suitable for dancing, and that portion of the building contained 

 most of the spectators in the evenings, attracted by the music and the 

 lovely faces and brilliant costumes of Stockton's multi-fairest, by far the 

 most interesting portion of the show. To those unfortunates, less suscepti- 

 ble to the moving power of rarest beauty, attractions in the way of wagons, 

 agricultural implements, fruits, cereals, and all the lesser items which 

 go to make up the agricultural show, were offered. The display of vehicles 

 was excellent, both in variety and quality. The best part of the wheeled 

 exhibits were the carriages, Stockton being especially distinguished for the 

 number of fine private equipages owned by its citizens and used on the 

 good driving streets during the soft evenings almost throughout the year. 

 The showing of fruits demonstrated that San Joaquin County can produce 

 as fine grapes and citrus fruits as any other part of the State. Consider- 

 able unirrigated fruit was shown, which in size compared favorably with 

 that to which water was applied, while in color and firmness it was better. 

 The showing of handiwork by Stockton's good housewives was ample, and 

 attested the training which the coming generation will receive. The art 

 gallery was well filled, but the pictures could not well be studied under 

 favorable gaslight, because the hall was used as a dancing gallery. As a 

 whole, the pavilion showing was fairly good, and since exhibitors have 

 learned that they can have sufficient room in a good and well situated 

 building, it will be better in future years. 



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