New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-08
A MODEL FARMERS FAIR.

The little County of SCHUYLER-the latest-born of
The sixty which compose our State-comprises
seven eight rural townships surrounding the head
of Seneca Lake, lovely sheet of water, mainly fed
by submarine springs which keep it cold in Summer
and preclude its freezing in Winter, so that steam
boats ply upon it at all seasons, as they do no
other lake in the Union. Its banks rise gradually
from its shores some three or four hundred feet in
the course of five OF six miles, presenting the nObest
panorama of alternating field and forest that our
State affords. The open lake modifes the severity
of Winter that the Grape and the Peach here attain
luxuriance rare in so high latitude, rendering
Fruit-gowing here signally successful and profit
able.
WATKINS, the shire town, lying just at the head of
the Lake is large and growing village wherein the
Chemng Canal trans-ships It's Coal and other pro-
duce to the Lake steamboats, receiving thence mer-
chaudise in return while the Northern Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad, (havng absorbed the Canandaigua and
Elmiral affords frequent and easy transit to the Cen
trail on the North and the Erie on the South. The
Census of 1880 will give this thriving village over
10000 inhabitants.
The County Fair was held here on Wednesday and
Thursday of last week; and the people seem to have
resolved, with mlnd to make it something to be
proud Of was not there soon enough to see the
Cattle; but such cart-oads of Apples Pears, Grapes
Onions, Beets, Carrots. SQuashes, Pumpkins. Corn
Butter Cheese Honey, &c, &c, 1 never before
encountered at q County Fair. l was assured by
those who had scrutinized both that the dis
play of Fruit was far larger and finer than
that nlado at the recent State Fair and can well
believe it, since remember few State Fairs held
elsewhere than at Rochester Syracuse, whereat it
was equaed. estimate this Fair as worth dollar
per to all the land in the County not counting
the borse-trots as contributing single cent The
day Thursday came straight from heaven, I'M
married by the journey; the attendance was very
large; and the enjOymentratOnal and perfect. Very
few farmers spend day at home so probably as
thousands did or might have done the closing day Of
that Fair
Watkins has rare natural attraction in tho
wooded glen of milstream which here falls some
four hundred feet in less than mile from the higher
level on the west to the valley of the lake. This fall
is made by o succession of leaps cascades into
pools or basins of varying depth and magnitude,
separated by stretches of swift bright water, and
overhung by the dark evergreens which mainly COM
pose the embracing forest, which the sun irradi-
ates but few hours per day. After Trenton, we
Judge this the finest succession of cataracts
in our State Some of the amphitheaters worn out
of the woods by the plunging waters are grandly
spacious; while for considerable distances a path
has been hewn between the precipce and the rush
ing stream with much difficulty first-class hotel
is to be erected in the mouth of this glen and
everything done that need be to render it most
attractive Summer resort when it will doubtless be
thronged by tourists as we'll as neighboring visitors
At present, the accommodations are homely and
primitive, yet good of their kind, and the cool
secluson of the gen with the marvels and beauties
at reveals will long enshrine it in the visitors
memory. c.