The Lake County star., 1876-05-25

hSAe iVatuiO, tuC utiiiHd'iOu VI NCH-
ctible products, is illustrated by
means of specimens beginning with
the product in its natural state, and
proceeding through the various
stages of manufacture to the fin
ished article. 1t comprises the
manufacture Of flour, meal and
starch from cereals; of sugar from
cane, bect-root, maple and sorghum,
and exhibits models of the machin-
cry used in the manufacture of these.
The fermentation is show of starchy
substances from which beer, ale and
porter are made, and also the dis
tillation of whiskey. A model still
and plans of notable American dis
tilleries arc exhibited. Then are
seen the fermentation and distilla-
tion of sugar, molasscs aud fruits,
resulting in IL complete set of sam
pies of American wines, these, in
turn, being distilled and converted
into brandy. The display of the
wood growth of the country is in
exhaustive. AT the foot of the cases
stand many hundred sections of
logs, overhead in the case being
specimens of the foliage of their
respective trees. Next to Horti-
cultural Hall and grounds this spot
affords the botanist the greatest de-
light which the Centennial can give
him. From the sub-tropical growth
of the Gulfand Southwestern States
up to tho hardy conifcr;e of Maine
and the Northwest there is not
tree of Importance which is not
here represented. The patience of
the curious is sorcly taxed in count
ing the rings of old stagcrs that had
reached the hcyday of their growth
two hundred years before Columbus
first saw Guanahani, and of some
that had doubtless sheltered weary
aborigincs while Louis of France
was battling for the cross in Palcs-
tine. Most of these interesting
specimens were obtained from the
Sierra Nevada Mountains i'm Cali
forna. The principal of those of
which accurate statistics can be
given arc as follows: One of su-
gar pine, 175 feet high and q feet
in circumference ut the base, and
5SS years old, the section having
been made at a diameter of I feet
2 inches; one of a soft, white pine,
130 feet high, 25 feet in circum-
ference at the base, and SO years
old, the section having been made
at dicmctcr of 6 feet & inches,
and one of a red silver fir, 1852 feet
high, 30 feet in diameter at the
base, tapcring for one hundred feet
before the first branch was reached
and 392 years old. All these grew
on the Sierra Nevada. There is
also one of a twisted pine from the
Becky Mountains, 1913 feet high,
% feet in diameter, at the base and
297 years old. a curious exhibit
for most folk in the Middle States
is that of the many varieties of ma
tive oak and the remarkable want
of re resemblance among them in re-
gard to foliage, the tan-bark oak of
California, for instance, having vel
vcty, willow-shaped leaves, while
those of the blackjack oak of the
Southern Atlantic States are bell
shaped. In the grain of the wood,
also, the same wide divcrgcncy cx-
lists. While the cannon live oak of
the Southwest has a smooth bark
and fine grain, the post-oak of this
region is rugged both in bark and
grain.
The annual meeting of the Board
of Commissioners occurred on
Thursday, when General IIawley,
President, and Mr.. Campbell, See
retary,wcrc unanimously y reelected.
Some little differences OH questions
of policy had caused a division, and
some caucusing concerning the ex-
ecutivc committee and the caucus
ticket was elected. 1t makes some
change in the committee, and, it is
said, settles in the negative the
much-agitatcd question of opening
the grounds on Sunday. There has
been Il strong movement in this di-
rcction, headed by some eminent
men and clcrgymen, and the opin-
ion has heretofore prevailed that il
would ultimately be decided to open
them.