The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-08-01
aqrituIturnI mn Qomrstit.
The State Fair and the Premiums.


,srns proposed by the State Agricultural
ooeiety the eighteenth annual exhibition
lii he held this year at the SprlngOroOk
park AZ Adrian, where it was held so sue
cassfnliv last year The business commit
tee have made arrangements 70 give e1hlD-
i.ors Increased facilities, by enlarglng and
extending the buildings, and by the odop-
+ion If several other Improvements, which
VIII add very much 70 the completeness OF
me Fair and 70 the convenience or visitors
LAST wear Floral Hall was crowded so that
rnanv exhibitors could not display their IN
sfr9ments. and some articles that came late
were never taken out Of their cases
lar,,e ard commodiOus wing IS 10 be added
10 his building. The Hall for the exhlDl-
ZION Of fruit is 10 be entirely reconstructed
and enlarged. The premiums offered LOT
the display Of fruits are believed TO De the
largest that has ever been offered IN the
United States. IN addition to the usuai
Lists, which are greatly Increased IN 'alue'
here has been added this year new class,
entitled District Collections" In this
class a premium OF one ADMIRED dollars IS
altered for the hest collection OF Fruit from
any one Congressional District, exhibited
nv any individual The fruit IS required to
- actually crown and gathered within the
limits ofthe District from which Il Is enter
I'd nut the collection l. not required TO be
grown by any one person. IL may be gath
cred anil selected from any and every
orchard in the region embraced by the Con
,yressiOnal District, and includes every varl-
otv Of fruit. The design OF the society IS 10
bring out a. large and complete an exhibit
ZION of the fruits Of the state as possible,
and that this Important interest may derive
a. great a benefit as can be obtained by a
more thorough knowledge OF the prOduc-
tons OF the orchards OF the State. There
are three premiums Of this kind offered. the
first premium Of 500, the second OF $50,
and the third Of SIS These premiums will
not be awarded 10 any one district, as the
conditions on which they are offered, state
that each premium shall be awarded 10 sep
arate districts. These premiums and the
premiums Tor ordinary collections should
call out an extraordinary display oil iruiti
a this year promises 10 be very favorable
scrthe growth Of many OF our best varieties.
TIE PREMIUMS OK CATTLE.
The Society have likewise been extreme
~ liberal ia its oilers OF premiums on Cat
tie There have been some complaints that
the recent exhibitions OF cattle have not
been "a large or as important as they have
been. THIS falling Oil has been owing in
great measure 10 the immense development
OF the wOOl-grOwing interest which has at
tracted the capital and has been more gen
orally adapted 10 the tastes Of our agricul-
turists. than cattle growing. In the classes
Of thOrOughbreds OF all kinds, including
Short horns DevOns. HerefOrds, Ayrshires,
Alderneys and GallOways, the premiums
are made equal, and $50 IL offered for the
best AGED bull over four years old, and $50
FOR the best cow There are also Herd pre-
NUNS OF 800 each offered for the best
herd Of either ShOrthorn, Devon OF Here
ford cattle; $50 for the best herd OF fat cat
tie. and $50 for the best team Of working
oxen. In addition TO these premiums, the
Citizens premiums include an offer oil pre-
MUM of $40 for the best herd Of short
horns, aud 500 for the second best herd Of
ShOrthOrns. The total amount OF premi-
ums offered for cattle alone, reaches the
enormous sum OF So SIS. exceeding in
amount the whole u the premiums Of the
Society, ten years ago. These premiums il
NAV be well 10 note are open TO cOmpeti-
ton by cattle growers of all the States and
the Canadas, ami ought to elicit general
turn out.
HORSES.
In the classes for horses, the premiums
have not sustained so much change, but
they are liberal. The premiums offered in
the several classes amount nearly to $1,000,
being not quite half as much as the cattle
classes receive. Among these premiums
$50 is offered for the best thoroughbred
stallion: $50 for the best horse Of all work.
For the best trOtting stallion 500 is offered,
with q requirement that the horse shall
have made a season in this State, and shall
show five Of his progeny of any age. In
the class OF colts a premium OF $50 is offer
ed Tor the best stable Of five, the progeny
OF one horse, not over three wears old
I" three years OIL" according to universal
practice on the turf and track, including
the age, till the colt counts as q four year
old. For the best pair of matched trOtting
horses, $50 is also offered.
SHEEP.
The premiums offered in 1866 remain
about the same as those Of last year. No
premiums are offered for French Merinos,
or Saxon or Sieaian MernOs The improve
ment with the Spanish Merinos working all
other blood out. The south downs and
Long woods are placed in the same rank
and are offered equal premiums with the
line woods. The Michigan wool growers
have class, No. 81, where they can COM
pete with each other, while in class % they
can compete with all the world
In the other classes the society has been
liberal, in some OF them making an increase
Of 100 per cent; in oilers fifty per cent.
Attention has already been called % the
premiums offered for farms. We direct
attention to the liberal offers of premiums
Tor crops OF grain. Roots, Sorghum, and
other productions, and also TO the premiums
for orchards.and vineyards.
The schedule OF citizens premiums for the
exhibition OftrOtting and running horses
has not yet been completed, but it is be-
lived that il will embrace one OF the most
attractive programmes that has been offer
ell IN this State, and that some OF the most
celebrated horses will be present 10 enter
Tor the prizes.
Should the weather be favorable, ve may
look out for an exhibition that in all its
features Will excel any show OF the kind IN
Michigan.