OCT. 25 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
the fair when they can devote their whole time 
to visitors. 
The Fair 
opened on Monday, Oct. 6th, after most of the 
county and State faiTB were qgrer, and exhibit¬ 
ors had little other business to attend to—this, 
of course, is an advantage in many ways, as 
parties who had beeu in attendance at other 
fairs could go to St. Loui6 before returning 
home,with very little extra expense, and as this 
is recognized as the leading fair in the West, a 
St. Louis premium is valued more highly than 
any other. 
Live Stock Department. 
Of Short-horns only forty-eight animals were 
shown, a much smaller exhibit than was made 
during the previous week at Springfield, Ill. 
J. H. Potts <fe Son, of Jacksonville, Ill., had 
the largest herd — sixteen animals, and most 
of them very choice. Prather, of Illinois, and 
Larrimore, of Missouri, showed some choice 
stock, but, as a whole, the show of Short-horns 
was not what it should have been, 
Although the Holsteins are a comparatively 
new breed In the West, the show of them was 
large and of fine quality, Paul JRothbarth, of 
Chicago, being the leading exhibitor. Most of 
the Holsteins in this country came from North 
Friesland, but Mr. Kothbarth makes all his im¬ 
portations from West Friesland, and thereby 
secures a much finer-boned animal, better 
milkers, and at the same time losesnothing of 
the easy fattening qualities which are so essen¬ 
tial for all profitable animals. The Holsteins 
are much larger than any other milk breed, 
but, excepting this herd, most of those exhi¬ 
bited were too coarse-boned for the best beef. 
The Holsteins are very popular iu the West, 
and although there were several fine herds on 
exhibition, I saw none that I liked as well as 
these, and none which proved so attractive 
to the dairymen present. Mr. Rothbarth se¬ 
cured the first premiums for bulls, cows and 
heifers in several rings, taking both first and 
second premium, and also receiving the sweep¬ 
stakes for best herd led by his bull Grueno. 
Of Herefords, T. L. Miller, C. M. Calbertson 
and J. 8. Hawes, each exhibited herds, but Mr. 
Miller, who has done more than any other man 
in the West to introduce this breed, took the 
lion’s share of prizes. 
The exhibit of Jerseys was larger than that 
of any other breed, there being 152 animals 
present, the largest herd being from Church¬ 
man and Jackson, of Indiana. Four herds 
were shown from Missouri, the other exhibit¬ 
ors being mostly from Illinois and Kentucky. 
The Ayrshires numbered seventy-one, none 
of which were from Missouri; Ohio and Penn¬ 
sylvania being the priucipal exhibitors. 
That the Devons are still a popular breed 
was shown by the six herds present, number¬ 
ing sixty-one animals. 
Many exhibitors in this department made 
the too common mistake of having their ani¬ 
mals too fat to be of any value to any one but 
the butcher, and, although it is frequently the 
case that the fattest animals take the pre¬ 
miums, I cannot Bpeak too strongly against the 
practice of making animals so excessively fat 
simply for exhibition, and thuB ruining them 
for breeding purposes. The exhibits of 
Sheep »nd Swine 
were neither very large nor unusually good, 
prices having ruled so low for several 
years, that breeders have given lees attention 
to such stock than heretofore. Poland-Chinas 
and Berkshires seemed the favorite breeds 
of swine, while Cotswold and Leicestershires 
were the leading sheep. 
Farm Produce, 
In this department the show was very much 
better than last year, but still far from what it 
should be. It is emphatically the neglected 
part of the exhibition, and in this I think the 
Association makes a great mistake. The offer 
of liberal premiums for farm products is the 
only way to interest farmers in the fair, aud as 
long as the largest premiums offered are only 
ten dollars, large exhibits eaunot be expected. 
Of wheat there were only four entries, the 
premium going to a fine sample of the Fultz. 
In corn the competition was more interesting, 
about twenty samples haviug been shown. 
Some of the lots were composed of enormous 
ears, fully three inches in diameter and thir¬ 
teen to fourteen inches in length. I did not 
like these large styles as well as some of those 
of more moderate dimensions, having longer 
grains of corn and smaller cobs. In oats there 
was but one sample, and that of only fair 
quality. Potatoes made the largest show of 
any one article in this department, thero being 
about one hundred and fifty baskets present. 
The first premium went to a basket of Snow¬ 
flakes and the second to the Peerless. The 
Victor seemed a favorite sort, and I noticed a 
few very flue Beauty of Hebrous. The show of 
vegetables was very line, although one very 
large collection from E. H. Smith, of Dubuque, 
was delayed ou the road and almost ruined. 
Mr. Smith informed me that of 320 varieties of 
potatoes grown by him, he has found none 
more profitable than the Victor. 
The Missouri Agricultural College was rep¬ 
resented by a very fine collection of grain, 
corn and potatoes from the experimental farm. 
The wheat and oats were shown both in ths 
sheaf and in glass jars, and every article was 
plainly labeled with the name of the variety 
and the yield per acre. The exhibit was ar¬ 
ranged with great care to make it as instructive 
as possible by showing the comparative merits 
of the different varieties, and was of more real 
value than any similar collection I have ever 
seen. I wish that it could bo exhibited in some 
of the Eastern cities to show some of onr self- 
satisfied farmers what the West can do when 
it tries. Missouri certainly has reason to be 
proud of her Agricultural College which is 
doing such a work for her farmers. 
Frull*. 
The show of fruits was better than was ex¬ 
pected, having been more than four times as 
large as last year. In apples the principal ex¬ 
hibitors were from Illinois, although Missouri 
had a few good collections on exhibition, not¬ 
ably one from St- Joseph, which was the lar¬ 
gest and finest I have ever seen in St. Louis. 
Pears were fairly represented, and of very fine 
quality. The same might also be said of grapes. 
Mr. Ricketts was present with a line collection 
Of his seedling grapes which attracted more 
attention than did any others, both for their 
fine quality, and from the fact that they had 
never before been seen in the West. 
Honey should have been in this department, 
but there was none shown, the nearest ap¬ 
proach to it being a model hive, bee smokers 
and comb foundation from A. J. King, of New 
York. The smoker was a modified Quiuby, 
but was decidedly the bc6t I have ever seen. 
nutter And Cheese 
were shown iu considerable quantities, but al¬ 
most entirely by a few commission merchants 
of St. Louis, no creameries being represented 
directly. The Cooley milk cans and the rec¬ 
tangular churn had no competitors. 
Agricultural Machinery. 
There was a gigantic array of mechanical 
work in the shape of farming implements, 
and those interested in such 'a display found 
abundant room for study and improvement. 
Very few premiums, excepting medals and 
diplomas, were offered in this department, 
yet exhibitors almost without number came 
forward to show the public what had been 
accomplished during the past year in the way 
of inventing new and improving old labor and 
time-saving machines. This department 
formed one of the most interesting features 
of the whole fair. 
Of course, plows formed a leading portion 
of the display and these were exhibited in 
every variety of form from the old cast-iron 
plow of Pennsylvania to the hardened steel 
for the Western prairies and the highly pol¬ 
ished adamantine implement needed for the 
“ gumbo” lands of Texas. Rural readers 
may not be aware that there are but three plow 
manufactories of any note in the Mississippi 
Valley, excepting in the State of Illinois, and 
it is doubtless true that Illinois manufactures 
more plows than all other 8tates west of the 
Allcghanies combined. The exhibit of chilled 
plows wus larger than ever belore, owing to 
the increased popularity of these implements 
in the sticky soils of Texas and other South¬ 
ern States. Other styles of plows were, of 
course, represented by huudreds, but although, 
the common walking plow is still the one in 
general use, the sulkies seemed to attract the 
closest attention, many farmers saying that 
they intended to purchase them as soon as 
their present plows are worn out. On West¬ 
ern farms where large and comparatively level 
fields are the rule, the sulky can certainly be 
used to great advantage, as it not only per¬ 
forms its work more rapidly, but with greater 
ease to the team on account of its lighter 
draft. 
Many of the exhibitors in this department 
have erected permanent buildings for their 
own accommodation. 
Walter A. Wood has a neat pavillion for his 
display of reapers, and the McCormick, Cham¬ 
pion, Marsh harvester and others also have 
special buildings. C. Aultman <fc Co. make a 
fine exhibit with their Buckeye machines. 
The Whitman Agricultural Co., of St. Louis, 
had several buildings, located near the Rural 
headquarters, for their exhibit of general farm 
machinery, which covered more than double 
the space of any other exhibit on the grouuds 
and included over 250 different implements 
and machines. 
Implement manufacturers are generally a 
good-natured set of men, who will put up with 
almost anything, but those who were here 
rnadu loud complaiuts, some of which, at 
least, were very reasonable. Exhibitors who 
had largo and attractive pavilions well filled 
with implements were unable lo procure a 
siugle pass for either proprietors or employes, 
while to other exhibitors passes were issued 
freely. The Superintendent and his assistant 
were on the grouuds but a few hours daily, 
and the department was left almost entirely to 
run itself. 
The Gale Manufacturing Co., Albion, Mich., 
made a truly magnificent display, embracing a 
full line of their rod and wood beam plows, 
sulky hay rakes, etc., otc. This exhibit was 
said by visitors to be the handsomest aud most 
complete show of hand plows ever made on 
these grouuds. At all times during the fair it 
attracted a large aud appreciative crowd. The 
Gale plow is very popular in this section, as 
was attested by the large number of orders 
taken by their enterprisiug agent. Their new 
rod beam, plow has proved a great success, aud 
sells rapidly wherever introduced. Farmers 
have but to test these plows to be convinced 
of their merits. 
J. E. Porter, Esq., of Ottawa, 111., made an 
exhibit of a full line of his celebrated haying 
implements, and carried off first premium on 
his wood-track hay-carrier, and first premium 
on his hay fork. 
The Whitman Agricultural Company, of St. 
Louis, made the largest single exhibit on the 
grounds. Their display included a full line 
of their celebrated corn-Bhellers, of which they 
make ten different kinds, with capacities rang¬ 
ing from 10 to 300 bushels per hour; also their 
Monarch aud Young America corn and cob 
mills, which grind from 15 to 16 bushels of feed 
per hour, according to fineness. These mills 
also make fine meal for family use. Their dis¬ 
play attracted a great deal of attention. 
The St. Louis branch of the Gibb6 & Sterritt 
Manufacturing Co., Corry, Pa., made their 
usual fine display of Climax mowers and reap¬ 
ers. This season they have added to their line 
a new, light, inclosed gear mower, which has 
met witli great success in the field. This 
mower is light, weighing about 575 pounds; it 
is simple in its construction, made of the very 
best of material, and has given perfect satis¬ 
faction wherever it has been used. At the late 
ExpositiOu at Kansas City, Mo., the Gibbs Jk 
Sterritt Co. carried off the first premium on 
their combined Climax mower aud reaper, and 
again. »t the St. Joseph’s, Mo., Exposition, 
they were awarded the first premium, £35 and 
a silver medal, on the same machine. They 
may well feel proud of their success in the 
West this season. A very large number of 
Climax machines has been sold this year, aud 
the prospects are that the manufacturers will 
have to increase their works next season so as 
to be able to fill orders. 
Messrs. J. A. Fields Son & Co., St. Louis, Mo., 
made a flue aud handsome display of ma¬ 
chinery, including all the machines that they 
were ageuts for. A prominent feature of the 
exhibit was a full line of their weil-kuown Big 
Giant coru and cob mills, whieh they showed 
is full operation. This mill was, as usual, 
awarded the first premium. They have this 
season added an automatic sifter to this mill, 
which is a very important improvement, as 
they can sift the meal as fine as wanted for 
family use by simply guaging the meshes of 
the sieve. Messrs. Field Sou & Co., have had 
a fine business the past year and the constantly 
increasing orders for the Big Giant indicate its 
steadily growiug popularity. 
The Highland Machine Works, of Highland, 
Ill., exhibited tho Payne sulky attachment 
which is novel and valuable. Like other 
attachments, it has a wheel to support the 
driver, and one under the forward end 
of the beam; but the essential feature of 
this sulky is a small wheel, between the 
mold-board and the land-side of the plow, 
whieh bears the weight of the plow and the 
furrow slice, aud thus the sliding friction of 
ordinary plows is converted into rolling fric¬ 
tion, by which, the draft is very materially 
lesseued, and the plow runs much more stead¬ 
ily- The attachment is perfectly adjustable for 
all depths of furrow aud can be fastened to any 
plow. 
The Baker screw-feed graiu drill, manufac¬ 
tured by the Mechanicsburg Machine Co., Me- 
chamcsburg, Ohio, was exhibited by the in¬ 
ventor. This new and popular machine was 
greatly admired by both farmers and dealers. 
This drill is a radical departure from the com¬ 
mon drill. Among many of its special points 
of merit are: l. tho spring pressure on the 
hoes, which iusures the eoveriug of the grain 
under the most unfavorable circumstances; 
3, the wrought or gas-pipe frame is a model of 
neatness and possesses great strength and dur¬ 
ability ; 3, the screw is one of the most even 
force-feed distributors yet invented. At the 
late exposition held at Kansas City. Mo., al¬ 
though the Board of Managers did not offer 
any premiums on grain drills, yet for these 
special points of merit the committee recom¬ 
mended that an award of a silver medal be 
made to the Baker screw-feed graiu drill. 
One of the features of the exhibit on the 
Whitiuau Mfg. Co.’s platform was a miniature 
Chicago Pitts thrasher and horse power. This 
elegant little model—which is a perfect fac¬ 
simile of the celebrated Pitts machine made by 
the firm of II. A. Pitts’ Sons Mfg. Co., Chicago, 
III.—was in full operation and attracted a 
great deal of attention. The principal new 
features of the Chicago Pitta machine, as put 
out this season, are the end-shake shoe, link 
sieves, and improvement in throat and concave. 
The new shoe can be raised and lowered, mak¬ 
ing it perfectly ad j ustable to all kinds of grain. 
The increased width of the machine increases 
its thrashing, separating and cleaning capacity. 
The Messrs. Pitts have met with a great suc¬ 
cess this season ou their improved machine, 
which warrants us in saying that the 
“ Chicago Pitts " will loug hold the enviable 
reputation that they have maintained for the 
past forty years. 
The Wayne Agricultural Works, Rich¬ 
mond, Ind,. made a fine exhibit of reapers and 
grain drills. Their Richmond Champion 
force-feed grain drill was awarded the grand 
gold medal last wuek at the Cincinnati Expo¬ 
sition over all competitors. They have lately 
added a force-feed fertilizer attachment to this 
drill, which is very simple and effective. A 
few of them were put out the past season, and 
in each case they give the best satisfaction. 
Next year the manufacturers will be prepared 
to put them all over the country 
A. P. Dickey's celebrated farm and ware¬ 
house fau-mills, were exhibited by Mr. A. P. 
Dickey, Racine. Wis. There are six sizes of 
these mills made with capacity of from 40 to 
41X1 bushels per hour. Mr. Dickey is a veteran 
in the business, and these mills are well and 
favorably known all over tho country. The 
Dickey is uneqnaled for its simplicity, and 
grading qualities and for separating foul and 
refuse matter from oats as well as for separat¬ 
ing wheat, barley, oats, and other grains. 
The Oliver Chilled Plow Co., South 
Bend. Ind., made a magnificent display of their 
justly celebrated plows iu their new pavilion. 
Their exhibit included plows of every descrip¬ 
tion, made to suit the wants of farmers in all 
parts of the country. The Casaday Sulky plow 
made by them attracted a great deal of atten¬ 
tion. This plow is making as good a reputa¬ 
tion as a sulky plow as the “Oliver” chilled 
has as a hand plow. Now that the season is 
over, the Oliver Plow Co. arc making in¬ 
creased efforts to be ready to fill the immense 
demands that are already pouring in on them 
for neyt year. They have made large additions 
to their works and hope to be prepared to fill 
all orders. 
Barnes’ Wire CnECK Rower was exhibited 
by the manufacturers, Messrs. Chambers 
Behrin & Quinlan, Decatur, Ill. The success 
of this check rower is beyond all question; 
Only the best annealed steel wire is used in its 
construction; this being superior to other 
wire, there is no stretching or drawing up. 
Tho wire does not cross the machine; t hus all 
unnecessary friction on the pulleys is avoided. 
This feature also lightens the draft and does 
away with all side draft. The check rower is in¬ 
dispensable to farmers using corn planters, as 
it saves time, labor and money. Tho Barnes’ 
check rower has been in the raarketfor the past 
six years, and the constantly increasing sales 
bear evidence of its great and extending popu¬ 
larity. This firm also make Brown's elliptical 
ring and triple-groove hog and pig ringer, 
which is the only ring that we know of that 
closes on the outside of the nose, overcoming 
the objections that are made to rings that close 
with joints iu the flesh. 
Tue new Barlow rotary corn planter exhib¬ 
ited in the display of the Yandivere Corn 
Planter Co., Quincy, Ill., by its inventor, at¬ 
tracted a constant crowd. This planter has 
beeu thoroughly tested for the past two years 
and has proved a perfect success. The new 
feature is a revolving seed cup, which enables 
the driver to see the coru ready to drop five 
hills in advance. It is simple, reliable, aud 
fills a want long felt by our farmers. These 
improvements make this planter one of the 
most desirable iu the market. 
One thing the St. Louis Fair lacks, and that 
is means for reaching the grounds from the 
city. Four lines of street-ears are entirely in- 
sufficientfor transporting fifty thousand people 
to and from the fair daily, aud if railroad con¬ 
nections could be made with the grounds the 
attendance would be increased fully 50 per 
cent. The railroads running into St. Louis all 
make very liberal reductions on rates, exhibit¬ 
ors from the East being especially loud in their 
praise of the exceedingly low figures aDd ex¬ 
cellent management of the Wabash route, both 
iu regard to passengers and fast freight. 
s. M. T. 
Jnksfrial Jinjilnnrnts, 
At the St. Louis Fair Messrs. Cornish & 
Curtis of Fort Atkinson, Wis.. made a hand¬ 
some exhibit of a full line of their celebrated 
Rectangular aud square box churns and lever 
butter workers. Mr. Curtis showed his churns 
in full operation, exhibiting gilt-edged butter 
made ou the grounds, showing practically 
that the Rectangular would do all thut was 
'•laimed for it. At the- Minnesota State Fair, 
held las' month, butter made by the Rectan¬ 
gular churn carried off tweuty-two out of 
twenty-five premiums offered by the Society, 
and at State and County fairs in Wisconsin, 
eighteen out of twenty premiums were won by 
butter made in the same churn. 
