184 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Auo. 





tent.', I find when I approach it, enter it, and move 

 about it, that all my conceptions were too small. 

 Only think of a building 1850 foet in length and 450 

 in width, composed of light and airy looking iron 

 posts and rafters, and covered with glass, admitting 

 and often containing 40,000 persons, and aflbrding 

 a front view along the dilFcrcnt avenues of ten miles 

 long, for the display of goods. It is estimated that 

 15,000 persons exhibit goods, and that one half of 

 these are British. 41,000 thousand persons had en- 

 tered to-day at 1 o'clock. There are four places of 

 entrance, and at each of these a policeman is stationed 

 to count the visitors as they enter. Along the sides 

 at various points are places of exit, intended to re- 

 lievo the main entrances and save people the trouble 

 of long journeys. The ground plan of the building 

 is that of a parallelogram, 1850 by 450 feet. Through 

 the center of this, crosswise, is a broad avenue, called 

 the tninscpf, 120 feet wide ; and through the center 

 lengthwise, runs another avenue, the nave, ab6ut 80 

 feet wide. These are the two great avenues of the 

 building. On each side of the nave are secondary 

 avenues, two on each side. The spaces allotted to 

 each nation generally run from the nave to the side, 

 and in many cases across the whole building, and in 

 front the name ol the nation is suspended in w'hite 

 letters on red cloth. The galleries are arranged in 

 the same manner, so that as you pass along these 

 two great avenues, you can visit nearly all the na- 

 tions of the world that can be said to be civilized. 

 For instance, in the transept, or main cross avenue, 

 in the south end of which is the main avenue, we see 

 on the right, Tunis, China, Persia, Egypt, and Tur- 

 key ; and on the left, India, Malta, Ceylon, &lc. 

 Enter the nave, or main avenue running lengthwise, 

 and you find the whole west end occupied by Great 

 Britain and her colonies, and on the east, Greece, 

 Spain and Portugal, Italy, France, Belgium, Austria, 

 the ZoUverein or German States that united in a 

 common system of duties, Russia, and at the extrem- 

 ity, the United States. 



Now I mast describe the transept to you, for I 

 think, as far as appearances go, it is the glory of the 

 whole arrangement. I remarked before that this 

 crosses the building, and it is the part covered by 

 that semicircular roof which you see in the picture, 

 standing up so conspicuously above all the rest. — 

 The main entrance is on the soutli end of this, and 

 as you enter, you pass on each side a group of small 

 buildings or apartments, which are used by the exec- 

 utive othcers. Here stand two of the noble old elms 

 of the park. You pass in the door, and there you 

 involuntarily stop, and gaze down that great avenue, 

 filled with statuary, magnificent fountains of various 

 designs with powerful streams of water gushing from 

 tl)em. Here and there are some rare and beautiful 

 palms and other trees, vases, he, and at the extrem- 

 ity, two more of those noble elms. The roof, too, 

 is 80 lofty, that one considers himself in tlie open air, 

 and the whole scene is like some magnificent garden. 

 On either side are the brilliant exhibitions of eastern 

 nations. But I ought to give you in detail the ar- 

 rangement of this transept. 



The first thing you meet when you enter, is a fine 

 epecimcn of a park gate of bronzed and gilded iron. 

 It is appropriately placed here for exhibition ; made 

 in London by Coltam k Hallen. Behind this stand 

 in two fine cast imn vases, two beautiful specimens 

 of the Norfolk Island Pine. Then in the center 

 Etaiids a group of rare trees and plants, comprising 



fine specimens of the Japan Cedar, New Zealand 

 Spruce, and two Sweet Bays in pyramidal form — ad- 

 mirable things. These are mixed with baskets and 

 vases of smaller, flowering plants, and make a charm- 

 ing group. Then comes a bronze statue of her 

 majesty on horseback, as large as life ; behind that a 

 letter post, in form of a bronzed cylinder, for the use 

 of the building, exhibitors, fee. Then we come to 

 an object that occupies the very center of the build- 

 ing — a crystal fountain (glass) 27 feet high, with a 

 broad sheet of water pouring from its top, and a 

 broad, bubbling fountain at its base. This is really 

 a beautiful thing, and is the first that catches the eye 

 upon entering the building ; but the glass is dull 

 compared to the brilliancy of cut glass fabrics. — 

 Standing at this fountain, you have a dazzling view 

 of the two great avenues, north and south, east and 

 west ; and as you stand, with the gushing of the 

 fountains, the tones of the great organ, and the hum 

 and noise of 50,000 people falling on your ear, you 

 will for a moment imagine yourself in dream land. 

 Presently, however, you will hear the gruff voice of 

 a policeman saying, "Pass on, gentlemen ; pass on ;" 

 for people are very apt to tarry too long at certain 

 points. I saw a good illustration of this in the tran- 

 sept. Among the statuary was " The Dying Ship- 

 wrecked Boy." He is represented as expiring with 

 the prayer on his lips, "Almighty Father, protect my 

 poor widowed mother."' Tliis is a touching piece, 

 and so awakens the sympathies, that people linger 

 around it until they are forced away. North of the 

 glass fountain we proceed, and meet a model of a 

 ship of war of 116 guns. Then a hydraulic ram, 

 working away steadily. Then we come to a large 

 metal fountain, manufactured by Freeman, Roe, &l 

 IIemson, 70 Strand ; it is throwing a great jet of 

 water, and is surrounded with many rare and fine 

 palm trees, fee. Close to it sits an old lady in a 

 pretty little Chinese-looking tent, making and selling 

 boquets. Here stand the two famous imprisoned 

 elms, doing w-cU in their confinement. Then a 

 model of a conservatory, by Weeks k, Co., of Chel- 

 sea. Next, a case of tropical birds and plants, illus- 

 trating a tropical scene. Again we come to a foun- 

 tain of cast iron, bronzed, and surrounded by pretty 

 groups of trees and plants, and just behind it a stand 

 of plants by David Ferguson, who says in a card, 

 " stands alone in Europe offering first rate geraniums, 

 heliotropes, and other bedding plants, at a penny 

 apiece." Here the remainder of the avenue seems 

 to be cut oil" by another sample of bronzed iron park 

 gates, made in Liverpool. North of these gates the 

 space is mostly devoted to the refreshment court and 

 small exhibitions of plants. Lane &l Sons have here 

 a fine collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas ; and 

 Paul, of Chestncnt, a nice collection of rare ever- 

 greens, comprising a fine specimen of the elegant 

 funeral cypress. 



Tlh? refreshment business is well managed. It 

 was let to the highest bidder, at 5,000 and some odd 

 pounds, or upwards of S^6,000. He will clear a for- 

 tune, too, at that. No spirituous liquors are permit- 

 ted, but to-day I saw the pocket powder-horn pulled 

 out not unfrequently. 



In mentioning the articles that fill up the grand 

 aisle, I have said nothing of the thirty or forty pieces 

 of sculpture and plastic work that are arranged along 

 each side. I can not go into detail — some are very 

 beaiitiful in design and execution, and others inferior 

 in both. They are mostly by Britisii artiets, and are 



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