Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-08-24
FLOR the Journal
Our County Fair.

For the Journal
Our County Fair.
We have met with so many discouraging
things in past years, about our money mat
ters, our Fair Grounds, our premiums, high
and low, wrongly awarded, and then some
men make themselves too busy, and want to
control affairs too much, and manage to get
premiums offered to fit the very stock they
have. And then some men. are not busy
enough with any thing except to find fault
with what others do. And then there is
another class who want good deal of horse
trotting, and still another class who do not
want any,.
Well, we differ in opinion, and we also
differ in honesty of intention to do that
which is right, not only in the management
of Agricultural Fairs, but have also seen
some difference of opinion, either honestly or
dishonesty, and probably both, among our
great men of National affairs i'm all de-
partments, down through State, and County,
and School District, yes, have seen diff
culties in some of the Churches, too, and I
suppose nearly all of them have similar diff.
culties, sooner or later. And owing to these
difficulties, which man seems to be heir to,
l believe that some are almost discouraged
in trying to hold another County Fair
These difficulties are not so great but that
we can easily conquer them, or we can endure
them and live with them and we can come
together this fall with our products of the
farm, fruits of the garden, manufactured
articles from our shops, and the nicer arti-
Giles from our kitchens and pantries and
firesides, and make such an exhibition as our
County has not yet had.
There is little pickering about the town
having too much control of our Fairs. Well,
farmers, if you really think SO, the town will
propose to let you have it all to yourselves,
all your own way. But as near as I can
learn, these farmers who think 80 are very
few, but the better judgment of most of
them decides at once that tho better way is
to unite, and all join together to hold our
Fair for the county would make poor
show without the town, and the town a
worse one without the country. Nonsense
Let US unite and hold good Fair. Let the
Directors come in from each township next
Saturday, and those from the city, also, and
select the place where e will hold our Fair.
Whether that ground is fenced or not fenced ,
is of much less Importance, than the good
things we bring for exhibition, to promote
more care in the cultivation Of our crops
and fruits, and better mechanical work and
ingenuity in our implements, and goods
and above all to promote the raising of bet
ter animals of all classes and kinds.
These associations are what promotes
these things more than most of US are aware
of. The coming together and bringing our
products and our animals, and comparing them
side by eide, will stimulate Us to improve
AID try 20 excel. 1t is doubted, l believe,
whether Mr.. Barnard or myself raised the
best Strawberries this year. l intend to make
a stronger effort next year and see if cam,
beat. intend to take the premium on
grapes this fall and believe l have got the
best hedge in the county DR.. Weed has got
the best hay-press, and suppose we shall
have t. give up to our President Chambers
for Durham cattle. 1t is doubtful who has
the best pigs. We may expect to see about
twenty exhibiting good ones. We have seen
great improvement in hogs in this county
since we had our annual exhibitions. 1t is
supposed that the Hoopses raised the best
crop of wheat. want to see full state.
lnent of the varieties, time and mode OF
putting in that crop, or any other that will
beat it. So with the best piece Of corn
the variety and mode of cultivation, how
many times it was plowed, and how many
| weeds are left ia the field.
Let us hold our breath on politics one day
and come out and attend to some of the
substantial affairs, to getting up Fair
Within four weeks of the time to hold our
Fair, it is about time we were getting
wide Awake" ......
When any one talks or writes to me,
like to know the name Of the person. What
is the use of writing a newspaper article and
Withholding the name? suEL FOSTER.
ALARMING DEVASTATION OF THE CROPS AT
THE SoUTH.-A correspondent of the N. Y.
Hsrald says that from Louisville, KY, to
Nashville, Tenn, "a distance Of one hund-
red and eighty miles-the fields present one
continual aspect of blight and devastation.
The corn fields for miles of acres appear as il
conflagration had swept through them,
burning aud shrivelling the leaves and kill
ing the stalks. For many weeks there has
not been d;op of rain, and the thermome-
ter in the shade at LOG for days together
Millions of bushels of corn are thus lost to
the wealth of this section the coming season.
The crop is lost beyond redemption. The
tobac co crop has also suffered and is suffer
ing vastly. Millions of dollars will be lost by
the failure of these crops; and even now the
granaries of this usually luxuriant region are
empty, and grain by the hundreds of car
loads has to be imported daily from the East
and West by way of the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad. The Nashville merchants
already predict panic and failures in the
fall.
TIE GREAT EASTERN RETURNED TO EUROPE.
- The Great Eastern departed from New
York on Thursday, 10Th irst, tor Halifax and
home, taking some 200 passengers, about
half of them to go through. She slipped
away as quietly as an ordinary steamer, and
the fact of her departure, in striking contrast