Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-09-24

| IN uNE hhcE AND a RfCOHD MADE.
| Especial Correspondence Of the Commercially
| MIDDLETowN, Sept 23.
| The fair was fully inaugurated to-day. Up
wards of oxe Thousand people were present,
which was larger number than had been ex-
peeted. These were, for the most part, persons
| from Middletown and distance, the immediate
| country round about not turning out very well.
They are probably holding back for the remain
| ing days OF the fair.
THE OPENING CEREMONIES.
| The formal opening was deferred until IL
| O'Clock, owing TO the completion Of some uniin-
ished work on the grand stand and its vicinity.
| Promptly at that hour the Mddletown cornet
| band summoned the people from their inspec-
| ton OF the articles on exhibition TO the grand
| stand, and in few moments Charles Beasten,
| President of the Association, was introduced
| by Sewell G. Biggs, when he welcomed those
present and proceeded to relate the rise, pro-
| gross, and objects of the Association, paying
fitting compliment to the officers, and stating
its future purposes. He referred to what he
| conceived to be a fact, viz that the lands with
in the limits Of the Association are not advancing
in fertility to the degree they ought, but are
retrograding, condition which is the result of
| the production of too many of those articles
WEIGH IMPovERIsH THE SOIL,
and do not return sufficiently remunerative
prices. Peach trees, for existence, extract in
fruit and leaves too much that is vital to the soil
and return very little that is Of value. The rem
edy he thought, lies motif the abandonment of
the growth OF such crops altogether, but in their
gradual reduction and restriction within moder-
ate limits, with greater attention to the growth
of the cereals and grasses, 30 as to afford rest
for the soil, and the raising of better cattle and
horses for the future exhibitions. This work ia
one for each man to do for himself, and is not
properly that of any organized body to under
take. He also took ground against the new sys-
tenn of farming with phosphates against the old
| system, or the use of lime.
Mr.. Bayard was next introduced and made
very polished and elegant address, the delivery
| of which occupied an hour. 1t was mainly
| plea for a
HIGHER INTELLIGENCE IN FARMING,
necessity which he recognized the more
greatly the longer he reflected upon the sub
feet; exposition of the capabilities and value
of the lands OF the Peninsula, and q review of
| the history Of the horse, his needs in breeding,
training and attention, and the effects of the
companonship of man with the highest and best
| type of the horse. One fact of value should be
| stated-a fact for the knowledge of which Mr..
Bayard WAS indebted to Edward Tatnall, of Will
nington-thati in New Castle county, alone, with
| 521 square miles, is to be found 1130 species OF
| fora, while Chester county, with 736 square
miles, has only 983 flora, with some of these
reduced to species A further signlficant fact
in this connection is that IN the latter the guam
tity of flora had been fully reached while in the
| former it had been only partially Cotton he
said further, had been successfully grown in
every county in the State and could be even now
| in the lower portion. Tobacco had also been
cultivated with profit.
| Want of space forbids that / should follow
Mr.. Bayard through his speech, although
there are many points which
and elaboration. 1t was entirely free from po-
litical bias and intimations, unless indeed, that
| portion wherein he recommended a constancy
| to our present State institutions and forms of
| government as the best, may be 80 considered.
| At the conclusion he counseled that politics be
kept entirely outside the Association.
THE DISPLAYS.
All day long articles for exhibition in some one
| of the departments continued to arrive, and at
nightfall all had not reached the ground. All the
departments, however, are full, with one or two
notably 3d. When the building was
first erected it was thought that it would
be entirely too large, and portion of it was
cut off, but 1t is the most crowded of all. In it
have been placed all the smaller articles, and
fruit. The display of afganH and needle work
Bread, jellies, cakes, and numerous other arti-
cleH OF female handiwork are spread about in
profusion, and being arranged with system are
seen to good advantage. No names are YET
placed on the articles, and l cannot therefore
specify. / noticed, however, lot of very excel
lent furs placed on exhibition by W. P. Webb
of Wilmington. A large case of str1Ned birds is
very attractive.
FRUIT.
An abundance of all kinds of fruit. green, dried
and canned, is on exhibition. There is probably
rather more of apples than any other kind
aud some very excellent specimens are comrris
, ed among them. OF grapes almost all the va
rieties are represented, and Capt. Scout, oi
Smyrna, has fine collection. Pears are plen
tful, and well developed sp ecimens of Duchess
, D'Angouleme and other varieties are exhibited
/ But few peaches are to be seen. Those exhibit
, ed, however, are large and well developed
They are mainly confined to the Smook and Nor
, ris White varieties. Large quantities of frui
, dried by the Alden process, by the Register dry
: or and by Cottrell's Endless Dryer are also OIL
. exhibition.
MACHINERY.
The machinery department is also full, an,
comprises many articles of farm economy o
Z the more expensive kind may be seen, mowers
a theshers and cleaners, and grain drills, AM
an almost endless variety of the smaller articles
A number OF carriages are also on exhibition i
Y Kendall and Cooling Il Lloyd, of Wilmington, an
y Cox & Bro, of Middletown. 1t is very question
able if finer specimens have ever been built i
this State. They include several patterns.
STOCK.
l. | Almost all the space set apart for stock is ut
( lized Robert II. Uummins of Smyrna, ha
$ some very fine full-blooded Devon cattle, an
Ten. van fOOfbt; vi ulliolu bUiio iihiunohi
= Attorneys. VIM. Brady, of Middletown, has
d very large and fine short horn cow, which, it
J. said, yields him sixteen pounds Of butter weel
ly. There are also numerous other COWS an
d calves on exhibition, whose ownership hay
" not been able to find out. None of them az
/. lower than the Grade. Some very fine horse
l. and colts are also on exhibition two-yes
old belonging to Geo. Karsner, OF McDonougl
sickened at the National Hotel stables befoi
reaching the fair grounds. and its recovery
r. very doubtful. OF sheep there are but fewspe
r linens. Hogs are almost exclusively confined
n the Jersey Red and Chester White, the latte
la being quite numerous. II. II. Hodgson, OF Che
"a ter county, has some remarkably fine thorough
IN breds
I'd OF poultry there is no very large display, b'
ID some choice fowls are ON exhibition. They a
It, confined, 30 far. to Chinese geese and chicken
VEGETABLES.
The vegetable department is the most neglec
.is ed of all the fertility of our soil and Il
to variety of it's productions being considered III
10 specimens on exhibition, however, are very larl
ne and fine.
en- THE TRoTTING.
~, rs The delay in other things put OF the trotth
s. until o'clock. This was the most interestii
i, u feature of the day, and attracted universal o
Veg tention. The Judges selected we're: Tho
Cochran, Caleb Ohurchmau, ]. V. Craven, Jao.
=. Cazer and Fred. Brady. Mr.. Craven and NJ
aII Cazier became Time Judges, and the othe
~ y, were Judges OF the track, Mr.. Churchman don
~ the starting.
m 1sT RAcE-foUR YEAR oLDs.
D....