The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-10-15

Androscoggia Cattle Show and Fair-Contest
bet,oeen Fremen UniUerSalist Convention.
LEWISTON, Oct. IA, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The Androscoggin cattle show and fair OPEN
ed in this city yesterday. The Society having
disposed of its grounds last year, now occupy
the base ball grounds fer the exhibition of
stock and farming implements
There are not many exhibitors of stock, but
two or three persons made large entries DIR.
Garcelon, OF this city, exhibits thirty odd head,
principally cows and heifers-full blood and
grade. Mr.. J. R. Pulsifer, an enterprising
farmer of Poland, contributes eleven COWS to
the exhibition. Dan. Lowell of Auburn, ex-
hibits one year old heifer-Jersey and Here
ford-which is claimed to be as fine as can be
found in the State. ] observe that the Jer-
seys figure largely among the givers of milk
and butter-makers. They are evidently gain
ing upon the good opinion of our community.
The celebrated Jersey bull, "Tom Pinch"
owned by j. B. Straw and others of this city,
is on the ground among his numerous de-
scendants.
There are several entries of sheep-Cots-
wolds and Southdowns inst what the farm
ers OF this State ought to raise. first for their
meat second for their wool. Every farmer
should keep enough sheep at least for the de-
struction of all brakes and bushes, which are
otherwise certain to overrun the PASTURE
Sheep will feed upon hundred varieties of
food, and so become the scavengers of grazing
land
Oflarge and finely matched oxen there are
number of entries. On the whole, the exhi-
bition of stock compares favoraby with the
recent exhibitions of the Society, but never
theless gives a very inadequate idea of what
Androscoggin county might do in this way, if
tie farmers would bestr themselves. But
they won't, and there's an end of it. These
exhibitions, however, show that there is
gradual and steady Improvement in stock
throughout the county, and that the few who
manifest zeal for progress must ultimately
galyanize the great lethargic body of farm
erS.
The fair is held in Central Hail. and is by
much the best in the annals of the Society,"
1t is the largest, most varied, the articles of
better quality and the arrangement more sat-.
isfactory than ever before. As whole and in
detail the fair is admirable. There are SQUASH
es of enormous proportion, a good display of
fruit for the season, corn, potatoes, cabbage, ct
cetera. Of manufactured articles there is
large vareity-large enough to give a pretty
good idea of what the county can do in that
line, which is certainly saying considerable
OF the textile fabrics-both cotton and wooden
the Bates Corporation maks the largest and
most varied display. Until now very few,
even in Lewiston, were aware of the great va
riety of the productions which comes from
their LOOMS All the other corporations are
represented, and many of the smaller manu-
facturers. Mr.. D. f. Noyes makes fine exhi-
bition of betting leather and cards, while there
are shoes, clothing, dentistry, pictures, ct Get
era, ad infnitum The Androscoggin Natural
History Society adds many curious things to
the exhibition, while Johnson's Band adds
sweet music.
This is called the Cattle Show and Fair of
the Androscoggin Agricultural Society, but it
is really the work of Hon. j !. B. Ham, of this
city-the inspiring soul and chief worker. -
The Society as a vital institution, died last
year.
The Kennebec Association of Universalists
have met in convention, in this city, to. day
Will continue in session two days.
BARLOW