Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-06-29
Correspondence Gallipolis Journal.
Exposition Topics.
PHILADELPHIA, JUNE "a, 1876.

+ PHILADELPHIA, JUNE "a, 1876.
The special exhibits of Agricul
{ tural Hall opened this week with
: fine exhibit of Strawberries, mostly
of course from regions not far dis
tant. Upon the overloaded table wer,
gorgeously arrayed siXtv-four seiec
tions OF different varieties. Th,
tempting aroma of the s.Black Def
ance." "Nauvos," and other remarka
Bile varieties entices the sight-seer Il
search for and examine these ricf
specimens of what cultivation has
done for earth's earliest fruit offer
ing, long before his eye has detected
: their locality. s
After resisting the temptation oi
helping himself as long as possible
your correspondent passed on to the
next temporary table upon which
were symmetrically arranged the
fruits OF the Bermudas, many oi
which are strangers to us. Oi
course there were pineapples, bananas
and oranges, yains and citrons, but
the most interesting specimen was
the famous hreadfruit of whose value
we learned while most of our time
was devoted to primers and pictures.
1t is nearly round and more than a
foot in diameter, resembling n large
rough skinned black melon, and ex.
tcrnally by no means inviting. "But
if yOu really knew what was inside, "
said Il boy who was watching the ex-
hibits, you'd banker for 'em worse
than you did for them Strawberries. "
Glad that | didn't know, as it would
only be fruitless longing. | left
the special displays and wandered out
Of the farming maze.
The first thing that attracted my
attention outside the hall was buzz
and rumble among the trees in the
rayine in front of me, and in mo-
ment an engine and unique car run
ming on Il single elevated rail came
out from among the branches and
landed few passengers at the res
tanrant hard by. The great objec-
tion to elevated trainways in our
large cities has been the danger of
running Off the track, which, with a
full train, would result in most ter
rible loss of life; but this simple con-
trivance of heavy centre rail to bear
the weight, and two side rails nearly
three feet lower down and under the
side surfaces of the car, upon which
small balance wheels run to preserve
tire equilibrium, makes an elevated
railroad as safe as any other means of
l0comOtion.
Riding across the ravine in this
unique coach, with high centre
passage and low side seats, j re-
freshed myself ut Lauber's restau
rant, where hard times prices only
have been charged since the opening
day, and stepped into the small can
vass pavilion which has been erected
for the reception of England's far
famed rhododendrons. A hundred
years ago an English husbandman
took a few wild plants from the high
est slopes of the Allegheny m0un-
tains to Surrey, and by cultivation
they have nearly doubled in size, and
from the pale white flowers of the.
native shrub every tint of the rain
bow has been evolved by English
cultivation; the most delicate pink
and lavender, the richest purple and
crimson, the purest white and the
deepest blue.
About 1900 plants have been i'm
ported, each bearing Il dozen or lif- |
teen lunches of bios SONS. They are
arranged in fancy beds and figures,
so that the various shades and tints
blend most tastefully sgith one an
other and form an array of beauty
seldom equalled--a veritable fairy
land.
This scene reminds me of the |
mountain travellers delight, the AL
pine rose, improperly so called, also
a rhododendron, the deep velvety red
of which, as it stands in clusters Of
acres against the everlasting SHOWS
could not be improved by a thousand
years of cultivation, and sends me
post haste to visit Switzerland, in ex-
hibit in the Main Hall. The raised
maps and enlarged photographs of
them are something new in this coun-
try and attract a good deal of atten
ton. There is perhaps no country
where this embossed typographical
work is more effective than in pres
entation of the Alpine heights, but
it is nevertheless useful invention
for all countries, and to Switzerland
the world must return thanks for the
idea. The st. Gothard Tunnel is also
fully illustrated. One piece of work
is not excelled by any similar exhibit
from any country. 1t is a large
square curtain upon which is worked
in circle the escutcheous of all the
Swiss cantons, within is the Swiss
cross beneath which the immortal
trio of Schiller are swearing TO throw
off the Austrian yoke on the Grutli,
and several other symbolical repre-
sentatlons. BY its side hangs anoth-
er curtain of which Washington
forms the center piece, showing its
special manufacture for the American
Centennial. There is, of course, a
large assortment of Geneva and Neu-
chatel watches and chronometers
which form an exhibit nowhere to be
surpassed. Not only are the beauti-
ful finished specimens shown, but all
the minutia of the inside works OF
time-keepers are neatly arranged.
The rich work in gold and jewels is
very much admired, but not more SO
than the Swiss cottages and numer-
Gus rustic designs in which the finest
of watch works are encased. On the
adjoining case stand dozen musical
boxes, in the manufacture of which,
Switzerland has no rival, and inces-
sanity one or the other of them is