The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-07
THE 4BBETILLE FAIR.
A Sight Worth seeIng-AwardIng the
Prazes-Gratifying Progress OF the So
ciety-Wen Done, Abbevil1e. ~
lpRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT

lPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
ABBEvILLE COURTHOUSE, November s.
Had you been in this village during the past
week, am sure you would join me in saying this
Is the banner comfy Of the State. The fair has
Just closed, and has been complete success. The
executive committee, or these people generally, or
somebody else, deserve gIea; credit for what they
have done.
Six acres Of land have been inclosed, and the
inclosure Is as romantic looking spot as can be
found In the back country. A large two story
building 80 by 80 feet has been erecte1, over one
hundred stalls built, and preparations made
everywhere on scale large enough for an ordI-
nary State fair. And yet the contributions from
every section Of the county filled to the brm every
possible space allotted for any article.
The exhibition OF horses was magnificent. A
thousand dollar span; the singlefooted saddle
horse, the beautiful buggy animal, the valuable
blood mare and most superior colts, the flllies,
the geldIngs, and the miniature pony, were all
there, vleIng with each other for the beautiful
premiums OF solid silver furnished by your towns
men, Messrs. W. G.. Whilden Il Co. In many cases
the decision was most difficult. The blue ribbon
could be given to but one OF q class, and several
times the red ribbon was awarded to two or three.
as the committees were unable to select single
second choice.
The trot.iug track inclosIng cluster Of forest
trees, interspersed with granite boulders crop.
ping ont OF sne earth, upon which sat hundreds Of
our lovely women. handsomely dressed, and en-
joying the woolng and persuasive appeals OF
their friends and suitors, made tout ensemble
that would have adorned any Photographic col.
lection.
The cattle display was by nc. means Inferior to
the horse exhibition. The uncouth BrahmIn, the
huge Durham, the compact AyershIre, the ugly
Alderney, the hairy scrub, and grades Of every
name and variety, were on exhibition, and gene.
rally did credit to their owner. Not the least no.
ticeable entry In this class was q COW sucking
two calves.
The sheep on exhibition were all either pure
blood or grade Mernoes except one broadtail
buck. The MerIno Is rapidly groping in favor
with our people, and perhaps are the hardest and
otherwise most remuneratve sheep In the
county.
this county intends doing, there Is no danger Of
starvation in Aboeville. One pen had several in
it too fat to live almost and one OF them weighed
over four hundred pounds. Essex and Berkshire
sad their crossings SC ,med to be the popular va
rIeties saw no Chestsrs, though had h'ar'l
that Abbevllle was fond OF this class. New varie.
ties OF animals or seed may be introduced with
favor into any community; but after the
lapse OF few years the planters themselves Will
show the most desirable variety, and are not dis.
posed to cling to prodtess stock or inferior seed.
The Chesters were at one time very popular
They. seem to have fallen into disfavor, and Will
never again in this section compete with the
Essex or Berkshire.
The field crop department was most admirably
nlled and can best be judged Of by the entries
A member OF the executive committee told me
the entries last year were IS. This year they were
40. Clover hay, native grass and Lucerne hay
bales OF wool, wheat, beautifully red, white, and
had almost said "blue;" oats OF every variety
from the chary Norway to the solid Scotch, an
invaluable red; rye, barley, grass seed, peas, oi
more than half q dozen varieties; pumpkins,
squashes, gourds, mammoth and pIganini turnipt
and ruta bssas, the finest ever saw, were in the
greatest proruson. have heard OF English farm
ers growing turnps SO large that o sheep, after
eating out the Inside, could lie down In the hull
None OF them were quite SO large, out many o
them, had they been scooped out, would have
made nne wash-pans. Mangels, caohage-heads
potatoes (sweet and Irish and vegetables OF every
variety were abundant, and some OF them as fresh
as if Just from the garden. Cotton was still King
at least in weight, for there were some heavy
compact, beautifully pressed bales Oh exhibition
TIE household department gave conclusive
proof this is good country to live In. Breads ol
every variety, and butter, too, to spread on it,
that would make city N IN smack his lips, was
piled up in profnson; lard and hams, jellies and
jams, preserves and pickles, sorghum and candy
| apples and pears, and wine that would have
tickled the palate OF connolssear, presented 6
most attractive feature in the grand exhibition.
The specimens OF ladies' handwork, my Wife q
that hope Is to be- says would have done credit
! to all the professional mantuamakers, milliners
&C., of your or any other city. Paintings, too, 10
| oil, and drawings in crayon, and all the other
| departments OF that art ornamented the walls Of
| the buildings.
The machinery department was The one alone
that was at all deficient. The display here was
good, but by no means equal to all the other de-
| paltments.
am tod the society has converted itself into a
joint stock company, and that already several
| hundred shares have been taken. This is good
step, and, unless appearances deceive one, the
men who have control OF 1t will make the com.
pany's stock valuable and desirable and annually
We may expect just such attractions In Abbevllle
as were seen here this week, and really this fair
was worthy trip from your city to visit.
UP-CoUSTRY.
Terence Quinn has been sentenced to two years
In @ho nopjfnntiarv for fraudulent raoriatratton