New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-26
THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY FAIR.
LAST DAY.


Westcbcster County Fair should be with liberal and
judicous management. There is reason, we think,
why this Society should not rival in the extent and
profit of its exhibitions the magnificent Fairs Of the ST.
Louis Agricultural Society to which sometimes $4,000
people throng in day and from which the annual re-
cepts are $40 900 or $4,000 All it requires is to &C.
lect suitable natural park, erect proper buildings,
offer as liberal premiums, and manage as well, as
the St. Louis people have done. We have five times
the people, ten times the money far better railroad,
omnibus and boat facilities, and are within easy reach
of the beat horse and cattle stock in the country,
and the great agricultural implement builders
are at our very doors. IL is idle to say
that New.Yorkes would not throng to Fair
as the Western people do experience proves the
contrary for as long the American Institute Fairs
were managed with Judgment and hberality they
drew immense crowds, and the Institute grew rich.
Our peOple thirst after novelty and excitement that
they pour in dense masses to one new lion after
another. Prominent members of the Westchester So
ciety and others have become convinced by the success
OF this year that the location OF the show In
the lower part of the county would be altered with
great profit and that the money to carry out the plan
can lie elsly raised by subscription Before entering
into prehmiuaries at ALL the history, failures, and sue
cesses of the st. Louis experiment should be studied
and careful selection Of the ground be made. The
most feasible plan would seem TO be TO combine the
features Of Playground aud driving park using the
premises annually for the shows and throwing 1t open
TO members and subscribers throughout the year
rs resort for carriagedrying and horseback riding
Tie ground should be chosen somewhere IN the lower
mart OF the county where 1t would be easy Of from
the city, say at Fordbam, Morrissania. IL should
be naturally well graded partially shaded, and II sup
piled with few springs OF water 80 much the better
The board fences about it, the entrance lodges and
arches the stalls for animals and the large structures
should be made Of pleasing architectural design the
ground should be well sodded, good driying-trsck
made, ell-plnnned carriage roads laid out, and the
grounds embellished with flowers and ornamental
shrubbery suitably protected from trespsssng yistors
1t is the opinion Of good judges we learn, that all this
for the purchase of the land there would have be
raised S500 900 or $50 00O by subscription. Now the
ST. LOUIS people lease the Tefeshment stalls under the
grand ampbitbeater for over $4,000 annually, the
choice being sold at public auction and the purchasers
having only the privilege of selling during the fair week
Their charge for each stall for horse neat cattle is
81, which Is in lieu Of any entrance fee The conse-
quenee of this practice s that the Society gets
$2 900 from these two sources alone, almost enough
10 cover their premium list, leaving their
gate money much clear profit. Suppose that
WestChester County Society should furthermore sell TO
gentlemen, Of respectabity only, the privilege of
using the Fair grounds as a private driving park
throughout the year for t25 $50 each, the grounds
being always kept In good order, and made really
attractive fashionable rendezvous their revenue from
this source would Of itself be enough TO pay interest
the investment and a good margin Of profit beside.
This s no chimercal scheme we assure these gen.
tlemen but one that even in these war times eau be
made pay well and do forty times as much good for
the agriculture OF Westminster and the whole State
as the Society has accomplished in all the
wears OF lie existence. Perhaps they may not feel
equal to the task Of carrying 1t through but ia that
case il is es we'll H. like the st. Louis Fair, il be
dertaken by jont-sock company for the sake Of
profit. We quite that II the land were bought
next Spring, it would enhance in value within i've
years so as TO insure the company against loss We
really hope that Messrs. Bahgate, Brown, Richard
con, Watson, Fae. and others will look at the matter
seriously and make the Westcheser County Societys
Fair as il may be, the great event OF the year.
Early yesterday morning the little children from the
Mount Vernon public schools to the number Of 300,
were marshaled in procession by their teachers and
admitted free to the grounds where with eager zeal
they went from marvel 10 another with constantly
augmenting pleasure. In the afternoon the blowing
match was 10 have come Oft, but after the ground had
been surveyed and staked, only one plowman drove
his yoke Of cattle TO the spot. He however was Mr.
Gedney, very goodnaured farmer gentleman OF sixty
or thereabous Of tho most active members of the
Society, and not only good farmer but good plow-
man too. lie had very rocky piece TO plow, but mis-
work was well DONE partly account of his skill and
in part because of the merit of his Allen "cynder''
pow, aud the docty Of bis oxen. The judges award
ed him the first premium.
OF the exhibitors of fruits and vegetables Mr.. A.
Cenden deserves most credit for the good and
judgment he displayed In the preparation and arrange
ment of his specimens. His vegetables were we'll Sc
lected, only good smooth ones being brought, they
were carefully washed and trimmed, and neatly ar
ranged the tables. Consequently, when the Judges
began their work, Mr.. Critendens entries first at
tracted attention and took many Of the prizes. Gar
deners make no fatal mistake than in sending
specimens 10 fairs unwsshed, badly selected and ar
ranged in sloveny manner. Ia fact, our obserya-
ton has always shown that the horses and cattle that
most idiy prepared for exhibition are most likely
IN find favor in the SIGHT of CommitteemenWho fra
quentB know far less of the respective merits of the
animals before them than the law allows, and hence
judge mainly from outward appearance,
The show Of grapes grown under glass was very |
houses of Mr.. Cumings, Mr.. Hoyt, Mr. Crttenden, |
and other ge1tlemen Of the county. Here again Mr..
Cttenden displayed his Judgment his collection being
the largest aud finest in the fair. Major Cowan the
Woodworking Secretary, made brave show Of sam- |
pies Of currant wpo OF which that from white fruit
was most psatable TO US. There were few specimens
of bread butter and honey, but very good ones
Mrs. Underhil getting the first Prize for bread, and
Mr. Cnttenden for honey. There was no premium |
offered for. pange wurzels, but Mr.. Ely Taites
large enough and fine enough to have merted a |
good one. Mr.. Crittenden showed two handsome |
specimens Of tobacco plants, samples from halfacre
which he has growing on his farm at Bronxville, one
OF them with Blooms on the other topped as Is GUS |
tomary In cultivation. There seems after this little
10 prevent, the smoking aud chewing farmers OF |
Westcheser from rsising their home supplies at least
OF the weed TO their profit and the disadvantage Of re-
bellious Virginian and Missouri planters.
Fortunately, for the credit Of the Society there were
no moro firemen fights or runaway hook and lad
der trucks such disgraced the Fair Tuesday; but
with weather bright, orderly crowd full treasury,
and pleasant recoectons, the officers with books and
papers collected money counted up and secured and
bills and prewiams paid, turned their backs on the
OF their laboys and the gates closed at sundown
what had been the Seventeenth Annual Fair OF the
Westchester Agricultural Society.