COUNTY AND DISTRICT REPORTS. 253 



In the Ladi^' Department the di-^play was large, not perhaps as large as 

 former years, but was shown to a much better advantage, as the Association had 

 provided additional cases for the display of ladies' work, and with several exhib- 

 itors from other counties with a large number of articles of fine workmanship, 

 made the. exhibition in that Department above the average, the lady exhibitors 

 from abroad, by the large and fine display of their handiwork, created some ill- 

 feeling among our home exhibitors, but, while they lost some of the awards they 

 expected to get, they learned somelliing new, and declare they will get even at the 

 next fair. 



The grain, vegetable and fruit display was excellent, and attracted the attention 

 and admiration of persons attending, and as in this department the products were 

 almost exclusively from this county, it shows that while we may be behind our 

 neighbors in other respects, that in the products of the soil this county has no 

 second place, and that whether it be wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, turnips, apples, 

 pear?, grapes, or any other grain, vegetable or root crop, the soil of this county un- 

 der tlie care, skill and attention of its owners, can and does produce as good as any 

 otl;er county or locality, and it was the remark of many who examined the dis- 

 play, that the same would have been a credit to a Slate Fair. 



In the Culinary Department the exhibition was good, fully equal to former 

 years. 



The condition of agriculture in Cass county has been steadily improving year 

 by year with the clearing of wooded laud and construction of numerous ditches 

 and an immense amount of tile drainage. The number of acres now cultivated 

 with good yield is fast making this county one of the best in the State. With its 

 diversity of soil, very little if any that might be called poor, and with increased 

 facilities for cultivation, and with more knowledge gained by reading and com- 

 paring notes wiih each other at the County Fair, our farmers are fast pushing Caj^s 

 bounty to the front rank. The county is well watered by the Wabash and Eel 

 river.-i and by numerous beautiful creeks and rivulets, and the scarcity of water is 

 unknown. With the rapid progress made in ditching and tile drainage, it will be 

 but a few years until there will be but little land that will not be susceptible of 

 cultivation, and that will not produce gond crops when cleared of timber. 



A marked improvement is noticeable throughout the county in the improve- 

 ment of farm property, the erection of new dwelling*, many of which would be a 

 credit to our towns and cities; the large and commodious barns, the board and wire 

 fences, in place of rail fences, log barns and houses, make the farm attractive, and 

 show that our farmers are making more than a living. 



In the question of good roads this county has been behind other counties, but 

 during the last few years considerable advance has been made, and many miles of 

 good turnpikes have been built, and much more will be built in the next few years. 

 Farmers living away from a good road to market are beginning to realize the fact 

 that the farmer with a good road has a decided advantige. 



The crops of last year were good throughout the county, fully up to the average. 



D. W. ToMLiNSON, Secretary. 



