No. 112,] 385 



dance. The show of fruit, flowers and vegetables was extensive, 

 and very fine indeed. The fair was one of which old Columbia 

 may well be pr.ud. It. was in truth a jubilee to the farmers 

 of the county. The premiums were awarded to the successful 

 competitors on the first day of October, the third day of the fair. 



It is evident from the immense number of people at our fair, 

 as well as from the great variety of articles on exhibition, that an 

 Increased interest is felt in the prosperity of the society, and its 

 prospects of usefulness were never more flattering than at pre- 

 sent. 



Columbia coupty has done nobly. Taking into consideration 

 the^^backwardness of the season, and the almost unprecedented 

 drouth of the whole summer, it is surprising to see to what size 

 and perfection fruits and vegetables have been brought in this 

 vicinity. The show of grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plimis, 

 vegetables and flowers, has never been equalled in this county. 



We talked with several gentlemen at Chatham Four Comers, 

 who were present at the State Fair, Jately held at Utica, and they 

 all said that only in quantiiy, not in quality, did it excel our 

 coanty,fair. In fact, the speaker, Mr. Ii.,paid us the compliment, 

 in saying that lie had attended a great many fairs in his time, but he 

 had never beheld as nice a string of 10 yoke of oxen as he saw 

 at this fair. There was one yoke of three year old steers on the 

 ground entered by Mr. Pratt, which he said were the best he ever 

 saw in his life; they were, in fact, the admiration of all. 



.^JTlie volumes of Transactions of the State Society and American 

 Institute, fdi-uished the society, have also been distributed as, 

 premiums, and are very much sought after by the farming part 

 of the community. 



Tht; financial condition of the society is as follows : 



Received from members of the society, |236 00 



Received balance on hand at last report, 02 00 



Curried forward. 328 00 



( At;. Tr. '53,1 X 



