The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-06-14
The Agricultural Building.

Within the immense Agricultural
building on the Centennial grounds
are exhibited all the processes, ma
chinery, and products of the farm, the
orchard, the garden, and the fishery
from a score of nations, and from the
four quarters of the globe. On the
whole. this department of the Exhibi-
tion may be considered its most striking
and ori inal feature. There have been
great displays of art, manufactures,
and machinery before, but never such
an exhibition of industries that feed
the world. Two-thirds at least of the
floor space is occupied by United States
exhibitors. Three-fourths of all the
machines and showcases were in posi-
ton on the opening day. Something Of
the luxury and variety of taste in the
installation OF exhibits, so prominent in
the Main building, is to be seen here,
many of the cases being of extreme ele-
gance and in the arrangement of arti-
cles to attract attention there is often
skill and taste shown that almost amount
to genius. Take for example the Glou-
cestar fisheries exhibit. In tank float
models of the fishing craft of 1776 and
those of 1876 F.; projecting into the wa er
is fac -simaale in miniature of the wharf
of century ago and one OF the wharf
of to-day, with men and women engaged
in passing the fish, and on one side of
the tank, on shelves and frames, are
shown all the implements, nets, ETC.,
used in securing the fnny tribes. The
long row of aquaria bordering the east
ern wall of the building, containing the
food fishes of lake, river, and sea, will
repay careful inspection. Salt water
is brought daily from the ocean for the
marine fishes. Several States are pre-
pairing admirable collective exhibits of
grain, grasses, and other farm products,
but none except Iowa have made much
progress.
The cotton exhibit is not quarter as
large as it ought to be. OF wool, there
promises to be an excellent display when
it is all in shape. Some cases are now
up which show heeces under glass, and
have on their tops stuffed specimens of
sheep of the breed that furnished the
wool-an admirable idea. The seeds.
men are of course on hand. Many OF
them deserve praise. There is q very
fine exhibit of grain in the sheaf. A
spacious area is closely packed with the
cases of the tobacconists. Nearly all
the lumbermen show odorous boards and
huge sections of tree trunks. The
makers of fertilizers are well represented,
and, with a commendable regard for the
olfactories of visitors, they provide air
tight and smell-tight cases for their
articles.
The show Of native wines from Cali
fornia, Ohio, and central New York is
calculated to make foreigners think
that the problem: evil the future
American drink wine2'' is already set
tied. The extent of the industry will
surprise nine-tenths of our own people
if they will take the trouble to look into
it's statistics. A brilliant show is made
by the rival starch makers, who have
secured places on the grand aisle. One
has a gorgeous Moorish pavilion, and
others are glorious in gilt and glass.
The manufacturers of what we Ameri-
cans call crackers, and the English name
"biscuits," makea fine show, and 80 do
the spice grinders-one firm displaying
it's articles in a twenty-feet-high model
of it's five story factory. OF hams, lards,
canned fruits and vegetables, preserved
meats, and great variety of other non
perishable food preparations, there are
Quantities and quantities.