VIEW OP THE SHOW GROUND. 



1862.] 



bited iu a field, tlie property of Mrs. BoultoD, adjoining the 

 enclosed ground, and marked on the plan " The Horse Park." 

 The Toronto Cricket ground and the pleasure grounds of Caer 

 Howol formed the northern boundary of the Show ground. 

 Upon the smooth bowling green attached to Caer Howel a large 

 refreshment tent was erected, in Avhich the Judges and Officers 

 of the day breakfasted before proceeding to their allotted duties. 

 Upon the east side of the enclosure the noble a\enue leading to 

 the spacious and oi'nameutal grounds of the Toronto University, 

 offered entrance to and exit fiom the Show gTounds, through 

 Caer Howel. The carriage drive round the open half of the 

 enclosure set apart for the display of agricultural implements, 

 was well marked out by small pine trees, which added greatly to 

 the pleasing effect of the whole. 



The buildings erected by the Local Committee for the display 

 of those articles which would have been hijured by exposure, 

 were five in number, the Fine Arts Hall, the Floral Hall, the 

 Agricultural Hall, the Mechanic's Hall, and a smaU building 

 attached to the Fine Arts Hall for the display of School appa- 

 ratus. In front of the Mechanic's and Agricultural Hall two 

 magnificent tents were placed for the display of Horticultural and 

 Agricultural specimens, and specimens of Mechanical industry^ 

 which could not be conveniently an-anged in the buildings 

 designed to receive them ; and well it was that these auxilliaries 

 were obtained from our American friends, otherwise the buildings 

 erected for the reception of articles would have been so crowded as 

 to render inspection an impossibility. E ven with the large amount 

 of additional space obtahiedby the erection of the tents, into Avhich 

 articles not easily spoiled by exposure were placed, the halls were 

 found far too small for the display of the industrial products 

 which filled them to excess. In the open space before the halls 

 and tents a large and varied assortment of implements covered a 

 considerable portion of the area; Machines of Canadian con- 

 struction occupying the inner portion of the area, bounded by the 

 carnage road ; the Foreign implements covering the space between 

 the road and the eastern fence, as shown upon the plan. 



Along the southern fence, ticket offices, committee rooms, pens 

 for poultry, &c., and refreshment booths were ai-ranged, together 

 with the entrance and exit gates. Tbe horse park was well 

 adapted for the disjjlay of the eighty noble looking animals 

 which were at one time assembled in it. The -thanks of the 

 Local Committee were tendered to Mrs. Boulton for the liberahty 

 that lady exhibited in placing the field at their disposal. 



Numerous varieties of sheep occupied between fifty and sixty 

 pens, constructed against the western poition of the fence. The 

 pigs were disposed upon the opposite side of the grounds near 

 to Caer Howel. 



The general appearance of the Show Grounds during the 

 whole of Thursday and Friday was remarkably striking ; outside 

 of the high fence enclosing them it was not less so, and at one 

 time it threatened to be more animated than agreeable, indeed, 

 at about 10 o'clock on Thuraday grave feai-s were entertained 

 that the fence would not have been able to sustain the pressure 

 of the vast body of people anxious to obtain admission, and 



63 



delayed by the necessity of giving up their tickets to the con- 

 stables in charge of the narr.)^^ ciiii-ulo door-ways, of which 

 there were but two. EiglitiTii lii(i;>;\iid ::ingle tickets were sold 

 on Thureday, besides upwai'ds of two thousand members badges, 

 which admitted the member and his family. 



We were also informed that no less than eleven hundred 

 vehicles passed through the toU-gate situated on Yonge Street, 

 in the immediate neighbouihood of Yorkville, on Thursday 

 the 23rd September. This number does not include those 

 which entered Yorkville by the Davenport plank road, which 

 may be estimated at three hundred more, thus making a total 

 of fom-teen hundred vehicles entering Toronto by the great 

 northern road in one day. 



However delightful it must have been to every well wisher of 

 Upper Canada to witness the very large display of almost every 

 kind of Agricultural produce and implements, yet it was evident 

 to all who visited the ground that the arrangements of the Local 

 Committee were made on much too contracted a scale. We 

 question whether one-tenth of the curious who thronged the 

 halls, conveyed away any distinct impression of the merits and 

 peculiarities of their contents, neither do we sujipose that one- 

 tenth part of the solid and pi'aetical information which such an 

 agricultural show was eminently calculated to inculcate, could 

 have been received by the thousands who came not only to see 

 but also to learn. In relation to this subject, we were glad to notice 

 that some steps are about to be taken by the Board of Agricid- 

 ture, which will unquestionably be attended with benefit if proper 

 use is made of the advantages which may be expected to accrue 

 from the recognition of the principle contained in the subjoined 

 resolutions, which were submitted to the meeting by Angus 

 Cameron, Esq. of Kingston, and referred to the Board of Agri- 

 culture for further consideration : — 



" That it would be of great importance to the interests of Agriculture 

 throughout the Province, that eacli county should be enabled to erect 

 buildings for the purpose of receiving ancl protecting all such produc- 

 tions as may be exliibitedat County Sliows, rather than continuing the 

 present practice of erecting temporary buildings at great expense, and 

 removing them after a few days use. 



" That it be recommended that the President of the Association and 

 Board of Agriculture memorialize tlie Governnv General in Council, 

 to appropriate a sum of money, not less tlian £250 to each county, for 

 the purpose of procuring land wiiereon to hold llieir annual exliibitions 

 and erect buildings. This boon from the Government to be conferred 

 only on such connliesas shall procure by subscriptions an equal amount 

 for the purpose of erecting such buildings as may be required." 



We do not presume to offer any opinions as to the mode in 

 which future arrangements for County or Pro\incial Agricultural 

 Shows should be carried out, but Ave are well pleased to see that 

 the subject is under the consideration of the Board, and trust 

 that some measures may be adopted which will obviate many of 

 the ditficidties, and lessen many of the disappointments which 

 so frequently accrue from df^fective an-augements in our annual 

 expositions of industry. We think too, that if permanent build- 

 ings for County Agricultural Shows were erected, a gi-eat step 

 towards the establishment of a County Agi-icultural Museum 

 woidd be gained, the most feasible method of instructing the 

 people at large in those artifices and contrivances which distin- 

 guish the progress of the age, and are now so necessary to succes'. 



