PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 181 



this year, but generally in the upper counties of the State the fruit looked 

 common. At Sussex, as at Warren and Somerset, were to be seen some 

 bags of wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat and flax seed — all good — some of the 

 wheat vei-y fine. Some of the stock at Belvidere, Warren county, was the 

 same at Sussex, and it was difficult to know which county was entitled to 

 the merit. Tlie sheep in Warren county we thought the best in the State, 

 the Bakewell's especially, were very superior. Their fatness told plainly 

 that the grasses of a hilly jountry are the best for sheep. The vegetables 

 and fruit here were much the same as in Sussex. The scenery from the fair 

 grounds at Belvidere is wonderfully beautiful. The finely cultivated farms, 

 the rich green of the wheat fields, the Delaware river in front and the 

 water gap in the distance, were more attractive to me than the petty strifes 

 of the horsemen. The fair of Somerset county, at Somerville, was unfor- 

 tunate also in weather — the last day was very wet, and I can say but little 

 about it. If I could measure the agriculture of this county by the size of 

 her pumpkins, she would be ahead of all the rest of the State. I saw 

 some excellent stock — some machinery adapted to farming, of great 

 value — the grain was excellent, but there was little to show progress in 

 the cultivation of fruit. I never saw such a county fair as the one held in 

 Burlington county, but was told that it was far inferior to those held in 

 other years. The cattle this year were excluded on account of the cattle 

 disease. But the horses were there, and such horses! They have a track 

 on their fair grounds in Burlington county, as everywhere else, and it was 

 in constant use, but the trotting there was not such a vulgar business as 

 in other places. It seemed quiet, orderly, and comparatively respectable. 

 Venerable Quakers were there, ladies were there. The farmers, their sons 

 and daughters were there, interested spectators of the speed of their own 

 colts. Even the jockies were held in check by the preponderating respec- 

 tability. But the great superiority of Burlington county was shown in the 

 buildings devoted to the fruits and vegetables. Such apples, such grapes 

 and such potatoes, certainly cannot be seen anywhere else in our State, if 

 in any other. The show of Delaware grapes alone, was worth the trip. 

 Could this grape be grown in such perfection in other parts of the country 

 (and we do not know why it should not be, unless the marl may have some- 

 thing to do with it), its cultivation will soon be universal, as it certainly is 

 the best of all our native grapes. There was more fruit at the fair in Bur- 

 lington county, than in all the other counties of the State together. Of the 

 pears, the apples and the peaches, I not only met with all the new varie- 

 ties, but all the good old kinds, that bring back such pleasant memories. 

 From what I saw at this fair, I should judge that Burlington county is 

 almost an agricultural Paradise. Marl has had much to do with causing 

 this great prosperity, but these must also be careful, painstaking, indus- 

 trious farmers, who are both practical and scientific. And such agricul- 

 tural fairs are greatly useful. 

 Adjourned. 



JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



