162 



THE ILLINOIS EA-RIMER. 



EiaHTH ANNUAL FAIR 



OF THB 



IL.I.INOIS STATE AGRICULTURAL SO- 

 CIETY. 



Held at Jacksonville^ Sept. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, 

 1860. 



There la no institution in the State 

 that has exerted so much influence for 

 good, 80 much for the advancement of 

 agriculture as the Illinos State Agricul- 

 tural Society. 



The Society was chartered as far back 

 as 1838. Several attempts were made 

 to bring it forward, but the want of 

 good roads, and especially railroads, 

 precluded all attempts of the kind, and 

 not until 1853, nearly fifteen years after 

 its first organization did the Society suc- 

 ceep in holding a Fair. The show was 

 at Springfield, and was weak mat- 

 matter after all, Sangamon and a few 

 adjoining counties participating. The 

 next year it was also held at Springfield 

 and we attended it. The show was not 

 large ; indeed, without any assistance, 

 we had little difficulty in reporting near- 

 ly every object on exhibition to the 

 Pres»y (now JPress and Tribune,) of 

 Chicago. The Missouri Democrat and 

 Press were the only newspapers that 

 gave it any extended report. Since then 

 the Fairs have rapidly grown into im- 

 portance, scarcely second to any in the 

 United States. 



With all its usefulness, we are aware 

 of many imperfections, some of wluch 

 have been corrected, yet many remain 

 to mar its usefulness. Most of the offi- 

 cers have been capable men, and have 

 devoted themselves to its interest with 

 commendable zeal. 



We propose to devote a large share 

 of this number of the Farmer to the 

 late Fair, and to give our readers a 

 pretty clear view of its most important 

 features. In doing this we ofier no fur- 

 ther apology than a desire to preserve 

 some part of its history for future use. 



This Fair has inaugurated a new sys- 

 tem of corn culture which will change 

 the implements now mostly in use for 

 planting and cultivating this great sta- 

 ple. It has demonstrated the practica- 

 bility of sugar making from the Sor- 

 ghum. It has made one of the most 

 successful exhibitions of Durham and 

 Devon cattle, of horses, of sheep, and of 

 ewino ever before presented in the Val- 

 ley of the Mississippi. It has made the 

 most extensive display of objects of 

 Natural History, ever before attempted 

 in any State Society. 



It, too, has had its faults. In its 

 premium list several important interests 

 were too much overlooked. We may 

 mention among them the Fine Arts, 

 Farm Products, Textile Fabrics, and 

 articles made up by sewing machines, 

 which have now become one of the most 



important household implements, almost 

 superceding the common needle. This 

 new condition of things should call 

 forth new premiums to bring forward a 

 healthy rivalry in this new department 

 of domestic economy. 



Another great draw back to the en- 

 tire Press of the State, has been in the 

 continued suppression of the names of 

 exhibitors, thereby preventing that no- 

 tice of the objects on exhibition, that 

 otherwise would have been of advantage 

 in encouraging and advertising the 

 most prominent features of the Fair. — 

 We are happy to state that this is the 

 last time that this is to occur, and 

 that hereafter the name of exhibitors 

 will be placed upon their cards. This 

 suppression of names lias been one of 

 the most foolish things that sensible 

 men could be guilty of. It was one of 

 the mysteries attending the first Fair 

 here, and in most places has been aban- 

 doned years ago. 



Next year we hope to see good ac- 

 commodations for the members of the 

 Press, in order that they may be ena- 

 bled to get up better reports than they 

 have heretofore — especially the country 

 Press. 



Without further preliminary, we shall 

 commence our notice of the Fair. 



SATURDAY BEFORE THE FAIR. 



We have been familiar with all the 

 State Fairs held in the State, having 

 made careful notes of their most valua- 

 ble features, but never at so early a day 

 have we seen so fine a turnout as is now 

 within the enclosure of the grounds. — 

 We have given a minute account of the 

 grounds and buildings in the September 

 number and deem it but a waste of time 

 to repeat them. Suffice it to say, that 

 in point of aspect and shade, they have 

 no superior in the State. 



The buildings, with the exception of 

 the Editor's Hall, arc of the most ample 

 size,, and by Monday noon we hope to 

 see this important interest well attend- 

 ed to. 



The citizens of Jacksonville have 

 done themselves great credit in the fit- 

 ting up of the grounds. When we com- 

 pare the buildings with those of the 

 United States Fair at Chicago, we feel 

 proud of the enterprise of Central Illi- 

 nois. 



Stock of all kinds is constantly pour- 

 ing in, and before Monday night the 

 stalls will all be more than filled. Such 

 a^ show of stock has never been seen 

 this side of the Atlantic. The great 

 prairie slopes have again proved them- 

 selves beyond competition in fine beef, 

 superior horses, unrivaled pork and 

 fine wool. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Mr. Worthen, the State Geologist, is 

 busy with the unwritten history of the 



past as dotted down in letters that his 

 industry has gathered from the prairie 

 slopes, the hill sides and carboniferous 

 deposits of the time long gone. This is 

 a new feature, and one of deep interest. 



The officers are mostly on the ground, 

 and are working with a will. President 

 Ellsworth is showing himself a most ca- 

 pable and efficient officer. 



[We omit much that has now losts its 

 interest and only retain that portion 

 which is of value for future reference.] 



FIRST DAY— SEPT. 10. 



Every thing is in an active condition 

 this morning, and at this early hour 

 there is a continual stream of men, ani- 

 mals and goods pouring in at the gate. 

 The weather is cool and clear; the dust 

 has been laid by seasonable rains; the 

 roads are in excellent condition, and 

 every thing gives bright promise of a 

 most pleasant time. • 



The officers of the Society appear to 

 have every thing in place, and never 

 before in the history of our Fair have 

 the arrangements been so complete as at 

 this time. The sound of the saw and 

 hammer has ceased except upon th'^ Ed- 

 itorial Sanctum, which is the last finish- 

 ing stroke to the arrangements. 



The whitewashed buildings make a 

 fine contrast to the deep summer foliage 

 of the sylvan wood that gives, just 

 enough of shade to please the eye and 

 give us a taste of rural beauty. This 

 will be a proud week for the great indus- 

 trial army of our State, it is one of 

 the modern schools that will rub the 

 rust from the dormant genius of our ru- 

 ral population, and give to them new 

 ideas of the progress of the age. 



Our notes must be of necessity bro- 

 ken and rambling, as we stumble on the 

 various objects of interest that come in 

 our pathway. 



PROGRESS AGAINST FOGYDOM. 



With all of our progress we still re- 

 tain some old fogy ideas in regard to 

 the working gears of our Fair. In the 

 first place we charged a percentage on 

 the premiums competed for, and then 

 we paid these premiums in pewter med- 

 als, paste-board diplomas, and a species 

 of white ware supposed to be composed 

 of silver. To insure honesty in the 

 awarding committees the names of the 

 owners were carefully preserved in mys- 

 tery and a set of cabalistic characters, 

 of Arabic origin, put upon the goods. — 

 Thus the awarding committees, like dame 

 Justice, were so completely blindfolded 

 that they held the scales with an even 

 poise, and the wonderful truthfulness of 

 their decisions have grown into a prov- 

 erb, and their indorsements have often 

 startled the wondering crowd. And 

 now, after having proven themselves so 

 correct when blindfolded, it is but right 

 that they receive a little more "light,"' 



