THE GENESEE FARMER. 



801 



Of the exhibition itself, we can not speak so 

 favorably. We can not believe it a fair exposition 

 of the farm stock, products, and mechanical skill, 

 of the great valley of the Mississippi. Twenty-one 

 tJumsand dollars are offered in premiums, and com- 

 petition is open to all ; yet we have seen as good a 

 show of cattle, sheep, and j^igs, and a better exhi- 

 bition of fruit, grains, and vegetables, at a county 

 fair in "Western New York ! 



Let us look at the implements and machines. 

 Here is an eight-horse threshing machine, separa- 

 tor, and cleaner, manufactured by Munn & Co., 

 Louisville, Ky. It seems to do good work ; but, 

 though we have come nearly 2,000 miles to see the 

 products of western ingenuity and skill, the person 

 having it in charge will not let us go near enough 

 to examine it! Here is a mammoth gang-plow for 

 breaking up the prairie. It has three large plows, 

 and is drawn by four horses, breaking up eight 

 acres a day six inches deep ! It is manufactured 

 by the "Eagle Co.," Mendota, 111. J. E. Button 

 & Co., Fulton, N. y., exhibit a machine for crush- 

 ing and cutting corn stalks, straw, etc., which 

 works admirably. Here is a cider miU and corn 

 sheller combined, made by Samuel Mills, Cincin- 

 nati, Ohio. They are grinding the apples and 

 making cider with great expedition, and selling it 

 at five cents a glass. Here is a plow with an 

 "improved clipper," or a rolling coulter, for plow- 

 ing in foul kind. It is said to be very useful. It 

 is made by John Deexe, Moline, 111. Mr. I), also 

 exhibits a cast- steel Michigan double plow. 



The show of pigs, much to our surprise, is very 

 meagre. K J. Coleman, editor of the Valley 

 Fcurmei\ shows three good Essex ; and J. A. Car- 

 penter. Waukesha, Wis., some excellent Suffolks. 



Sheep are no better — there was not a good pen 

 on the ground, with the exception of one fair South 

 Down. 



There are some few good cattle and horses on 

 the ground, but the names of the owners are not 

 given, so we can not particulaiize. 



"Floral Hall" is jammed, as usual; but we will 

 try and squeeze through with the crowd. Here 

 are some splendid peaches, and these Seckel pears 

 and Beurre Bases are very fine. This is a good 

 collection of grapes and other fruit, shown by 

 Charles Haven, of Melrose, Mo. He bought a 

 farm in the woods six years ago, and now takes 

 four first premiums. Husman & Manwaeino, of 

 Herman, Mo., show 14 varieties of excellent grapes 

 and a fine collection of apples and pears. In the 

 center of the building is a splendid specimen of 

 rock-work, surrounded with evergreen and other 

 trees, with a jet d'eau in the center and streams of 

 water trickling down the sides. It is the best thing 

 of the kind we have ever seen at an exhibition. 



THE RECENT FAIRS. 



We can do little more this month than mention 

 a few of these Annual Jujbilees, as many occur so 

 late in the passing month, the Farmer must neces- 

 sarily go to press before they ai*e concluded. 



MONROE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S FATE. 



The annual fair of this Society took place on the 

 Society's grounds on the 14th to 19th ultimo. The 

 arrangements on the part of the executive commit- 

 tee were ample, and gave very general satisfaction. 



The number of exhibitors in the difierent depart- 

 ments, though not what they should be for the rich 

 county of Monroe, were by no means discreditable. 



Of horses, there were 140 entries, and nearly as 

 many of cattle, embracing in each department some 

 of the best animals owned in the county. The 

 plowing match shows 19 teams entered, inducing 

 a spirited and highly satisfactory competition, 

 showing the good qualities of teams, plows, and 

 plowmen. These trials can not be too often re- 

 peated. 



In the fruit department, the show exceeded our 

 expectations. Though far below the standard of 

 former years, the fruit was creditable to both 

 amateur and professional growers. Apples, pears, 

 peaches and plum?, though not as numerous or as 

 perfect specimens as usual, were on the whole very 

 fine. Grapes were excellent. Isabellas and Clin- 

 tons bore olF the palm, though we observe a sam- 

 ple of Concords quite fine, and some Horthern Mus- 

 cadine not fully ripened. 



The fioral show was not extensive. Some very 

 good ornaments and bouquets, by amateurs, and a. 

 fine collection of cut flowers, ornaments and bou- 

 quets, from Ellwangee & Baeey, made up the 

 assortment. 



The ladies, as usual, made up their fuU share of 

 the interest and pleasure of the exhibition. What 

 with carpets, flannel, coverlets, comforters, quilts, 

 counter panes, worsted, silk and muslin embroi- 

 dery, skirts, and the usual variety of fine needle- 

 work, the industry, ambition and perseverence of 

 the farmers wives and daughthers of old Monroe is 

 not to be questioned. 



In wax fruits and flowers, paintings in oil, Gre- 

 cian, crayon, and water colors, including ambro- 

 types, drawings, etc., the variety was enough to 

 satisfy the lookers on, and some of the specimens 

 were very creditable productions. 



Agricultural implements and machines, as usual, 

 were the center of attraction with the farmers. 

 The principal novelties were in the direction of 

 corn-huskers, to which inventive genius in a small 

 way seems to be turned at this moment. 



