Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-12-13
FROM OREGON
The Oregon State Eair-A Vast Encampman, nj
People-The Exhibition reat show Of
Fruit-Immense Apples and Pears
What Oregon Needs.

gon:
am now at the capital, (Salem)
attending the State Fair. Whatever
State Fairs may be 10 other places,
IN Oregon they are huge, if this is
specimen. | would could give you
the picture as it now exists, not sin
my eye" but on the ground | can
hope to give you only gimpses here
and there And first and foremost.
the people. JVetfOOtS they are called,
from tradition that exists in Cali
fornia and Other enuioas localities,
that it rains here sometimes indeed,
that it rains so much that the inhab-
itants, on the "natural longing theo-
ry," receive web feet, that they may
paddle around comfortably. | be-
lieve this to be a SANDER. But the
people, We masses, are out in force
With a population of less than one
tenth Of that of Wisconsin, with but
one little piece OF railroad of fifty
miles, there are here to-day not less
than twenty thousand people. From
ten, from twenty, from a hundred
from hundred and fifty miles away,
men, women, and children arc here,
in covered wagons, with tents and
provisions-they have come up here,
some of them having been eight days
IN making the journey. There are
on the grounds and in the fields ad-
joining from fifteen hundred to two
thousand tents. spent three hours
in wandering around among them,
and could find no end to them.
Whole families, as numerous and
well graded as that of the renowned
JoSn Rogers, are grouped together
in these abodos. Horses hitched in
the rear, and wagon in front, with
chairs, tables and kitchen furniture,
all give to the scene a peculiarly gro
tesque appearance. 1t puzzled me
long to imagine what all these people
came for they brought nothing but
themselves, to exhibit, and seemed to
care very little Cor what was exhibit
ed. At last | found it. The most
of these people came across the
plains, and this little trip Of from
two to twenty days is taken as a
kind Of remembrancer Of old times
They have money enou 5h--every
body has money in this country
and time enough, the soil being too
dry to plow, and 50 they come up
to get q taste of company, and to
see each other. Well, they are
hale, sturdy set Of people, averaging
considerably taller than Wisconsin
men. Not all Of the. "webfoot"
maidens are clad in the latest style,
but there is less that is outre than one
might expect
Considering the State, its popula-
ton, &C., the exhibition is very cred
liable; for the number Of people out,
it is very slim.
The grounds are as well prepared
as in the East Quite large amount
Of native stock is on exhibition and
some of fine blood. In cattle the
"Shorthorns" seem to preponderate,
though here are some Hereford : and
fow Devons. Tho exhibition Of
sheep is fine. Coarse wool predom-
mates. Several pens Of imp 7rted
Coteswold attract much attention.
OF pigs and fowl the show is very
poor. But what it lacks in this is
made up in horses. Like most new
countries, they ego on the boss,
here. The usual amount Of racing,
with as much jockeying as is seen in
the more enlightened CD Eastern
fairs, are to be seen by those who de-
sire.
No show Of agricultural nipple
monts; few plows, one two horse
wagon and buggy or two comprise
the whole. No gate man." 'wind |
mill man." "beo man" or "reaper
men" around
In doors, except in fruits, the show
is very small. Four samples Of
wheat, very fine, three or four of oats.
and little grass and clover seed |
comprises all, except small show of |
corn, and few beans and peas
Some thirty entries Of butter, and |
half that number Of cheese, sum up |
the dairy products The fine art de-
partment is more gaudy than rich.
The fruit department was what | |
most wanted to see, and it is fine.
There are some forty varieties of APP |
pies on exhibition, ali about fourth |
larger than the same kinds grown in
the East. The twenty best varieties,
are Rambo, Early Pennock, Craven
stein, Yellow Bellflower, Seeknofur-
Their, Melon, Dutch Mignon, Jeniton,
Fall Beauty, Maxon, Vandovero, r..
|. Grecning, Baldwin, White Bell
flower, Yellow Newton Pippin, White
Winter Pearmain, Golden Russell,
Monmouth Pippin and Mother. The
Melon apple is excellent. Some spec
imens of the Gloria Mundi are on OK
hibition, weighing two pounds a
piece, seventeen OF them being all
that can be piled in . bushel box.
There are thirty varieties Of pears,
although the early kinds are gone.
There are Pound Pears, weighing q
and 3 pounds and measuring7 4 inches
through one way and 5! the other.
1t has been said that the climate ia
not favorable for grapes There are
more than 30 varieties exhibited,
some of them superb The Black
Hamburg and Golden Chasselas do
not seem fully ripencd, but the others
are ready for the table Among tue
finest favored is the Red Traminor.
which | think we might raise in
Wisconsin. Tomas are scattering.
A few punches of Isabellas from
Washington Territory arc monstrous.
| measured berries soven-eighths of
an inch in diameter and the grapes
would average three-fourths of an
inch
The floral department is fair,
though | miss many of our finer va
rieties. Roses and dahlias are equal
to any we have. OF garden veget- ,
abIes there is not much of interest,
nothing better than we sec at our