The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-01


ment hereto annexed, has more thau(ioubled,
and although the Pavilion was the largest ia
the county, and the exhibition lasted four dave,
still the building was almost too crowded for
the cOmfGFt "f exhibitors, and many visitors
who put of their attendance till the last day,
were disappointed in gaining admIttance.
The aim Of our Society, while striving to en- f..
courage and foster every branch of agriculture,
the mining and mechanical interest, should, in
my opinion, be more particularly directed 10
the cultivation Of fruits, not doubling that this
region Of the foothills is more peculiarly adapt
ed to them, thun any other portion of the State,
and also that the peculiar character of our land
surface, caused by mining operations. offers
greater facility by the cultivation of detached
portions, available for orchards and vineyards,
than fur more extended continuous area, suta-
BILE for farming operations, in the raising Of
cereals, &c.
In the matter of vineyards for wine purposes,
which will undoubtedly in few more years be
one Of the chief productions Of the county, one
important fact WAS demonstrated and made
public at our last exhibition. That a success
fut culture OF the grape can be had in this re-
giOn, entirely independent Of artificial irriga.
CATION, premium being awarded by your com
mitiee for the I'd best exhibit Of foreign grapes,
taking into consideration the number Of varie-
ties, size, &c, IN member whose vines bad
not received any artificial moisture during the
season, which, il may be remembered. was an
unusually dry one. His land was not under
drained, clayey mould, and quite shallow,
with granite bed rock and doubtless the prac.:
tical establishment Of that one fact will, when
mure generally known, bring into cultivation
for such purposes hundreds Of acres of land
yet LAYING idle, entirely useless for the miner,
as hitherto for the grape. grower, being above
the level Of artificial irrigation. Il may also
determine another question, whether those who
can irrigate had not better dispense with their
trouble und expense, and be rewarded by q
better article Of wine; fact which only time
and continued succession ofexperiments can
fully demonstrate.
J. Dur Stock department ri tee last Fair, did
not show much Improvement in numbersuagef
the previous wears. This is bv far one Of the
most expensive branches Of our exhibitions II
provide for properly, and probably the most
troublesome for exhibitors, and is a matter re-
curing considerable time and capital to ma
ture. have no doubt that a judicious encour
agemeDt Of this particular branch will meet
with its reward in future years.
Sume apprehension was manifested at the
commencement If the year, that GIANT finance,
mIEs,2 ar, carry us safely through, with the
amount appropriated for premiums; and vet
without such IL schedule, Judging from tn,
manifestation Of the preceding year J, the inter
est in the exhibition would flag. This, howev
err, was cured by the legislative appropriation
before mentioned, although we were IDnch dis
a2qaio<c9 IL 0oa receiving Il N time Aor MI
use, lowing. suppose, tn the red tape circum
locuIion which seems to be hereditary IN al
the Government Offices. The money Was only
received BY us about the first of the present
mDnih, and had il not been fur the Kindness a
the Contractor who furnished the silver ware
MIR. J. W. SeeleyL in waiting on us for The
receipt Of the money, We should indeed hav,
been seriously inconvenienced.
would, while on this head respectfully sug
grst t" the Society, the pr"prety Of eniistim.
the services OF our present members of thu
Legislature from this County, to secure US an
, other, and still more liberal Donation for tn,
ensuing year, and 10 have il in such a position
Ia be made available BY the Board OF Manager.
before the holding Of the next Exhibition A.
although the proceeds of the past year leaves
Il handsome balance IN the Treasury, vet a still
more liberal Premium list should be Offered fol
our next far; aud the prizes, on hand bef0r,
the commencement, as the interests Of the So
cieiy can be better preserved, by the satstac
tinn given To exhibitors; and also for the bene
/ lit ofAy successor, | would say that it viii
save HIM an immense amount Of after labor
and his duties certainly are not very light.
! would also suggest the propriety Of labelling
articles Tor competition only by numbers; III,
Secretary alone will then know bv his Entr,
Book who the exhibitors are, and thus guarC
the committees against any personal prejudc,
or fav"ritisuI, which disappointed competitor
may sometimes lnsInnaie.
And another Suggestion / would make is
that the Far Bail be never given in the Pavil
ion. as the time necessarily taken in the iillin.
/ up for that purpose, would be more protitabl,
. employed III keeping open the Fair to the las
tnuIncnt.
! would further suggest that, in making on
! and publishing the next schedule it be plainl,
announced that all committees on awards mus
! hand III their full reports 10 The Secretary, OF
Me evening preceding the last day of the eXhi
bItion. This will he fund rule very neces
sary To be strictly complied with, and " i'll inur
much I" the benefit If all parties am awar
. that this may look somewhat like presumption
and dlctatinn on nv part in urging these sug
gc>tlons before the Society, but having III,
good at the institution warmly at heart, an,
having from experience seen their necessity.
Cannot consider that am doing mv duty with
nut bringing them up tor YOUR consideration
/ trusting that yru will judge OF the feeling thl
prompts them IN the same spirit in which the
, arc offered.
/ You will perceive. by the accnmp lnying re
! port Of the Board Of Managers that we do no
{ congratulate y"u without reason on the flour
lsh,ng condition Of the affairs Of the Society
: Thanking the Society kindly for their conf
dence in electiOg me Secretary | now restnr
the office back in1o their hands, hoping tina
my efforts have met their Appreciation.
/ All oi which is respectfully submitted.
THOS. J, OREGON, Secretary.
I February Eth, ls6.