Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-10-12
Field And Garden.
BY N. b. BATKHAM.
IN AsHTABULA COUNTY.


Geauga counties the past week, was
not so much to witness the fairs,
then being held, as to look at
some of the farms, and talk with the
farmers. Besides the fairs of Ash
tabula, Geauga and Lake counties,
at that time, there was the Penn
svlvania state fair at Erie, which
drew off large number of fine hors-
eS and cattle, as well as many visit
ors from Ashtabula county. There
was also a large district fair held at
Youngstown, which attracted some
from the south side of both coun-
ties.
The Ashtabula far was held at
Jefferson, as usual, and was pro-
nounced as good as the average,
with a larger attendance than usual
but some of the finest animals OF
the county were gone to Erie.
There was a fair show of stock
and implements, with very good
display of farm and household prod
ucts, fruits, flowers, musical lnstru-
ments, sewing machines, pictures,
&c. As whole, the exhibition was
much like our average Lake county
fairs with less horses and cattle, and
more people. The attendance was,
no doubt, largely increased by the
variety of amusements in the pro-
gramme of each day-such as horse
trots and races, foot races, basket
races and other sports. These extra
attractions are regarded as necessa-
ry to make the fairs pay, owing to
the rivalry that exists between the
different townships. prompting to
the holding of a number of inde-
pendent township fairs in the coun-
ty. 1t would seem that this might
be mainly avoided if the county So
ciety could arrange with the people
of the lake shore region for holding
the fairs alternately at Ashtabula,
and Jefferson.
At our special request a meeting
of dairy farmers was held in Jefer-
son one evening during the fair for
the purpose of discussing the mat
ter of the deterioration of pasture
lands and the best means of restor-
ing heir fertility. The fact of such
deterioration was admitted, as re
CARDS most of the old dairy farms;
but there was some diversity of
opinions as to its cause, and the best
remedies. We shall speak of this at
another time.
Apples in Ashtabula county are
virtually failure, excepting in the
lake shore region, where we saw
them being hauled to a cider mill
/ for shilling a bushel; and were
told there would be a little mer-
chantable winter fruit for ship
ment.
Potatoes in some parts were do
ing well, but in several of the cen
tral and southern townships the tops
had blighted so that the tubers
would not mature well.
Wheat has started finely, and
larger breadth than usual has been
put in. Grass, too, has done well
since midsummer, and the prices of
dairy products are quite satisfactory,
so that farmers are in better spirits
than for some years past.
IN GEAUGA COUNTY.
We were present only the last
day of the fair at Burton, and were
sorry to find most of the articles
of exhibition removed and the day
given up to horse trotting and ra-
cling, dancing, &c. The weather
was fine and there was a large
crowd in attendance. OF course
there was more of mirth and jolli-
tv the last day than any other.
We saw no liquor selling about
the grounds, but several individuals
gave evidence that they had fallen
from Murphy grace, if they had ev-
er taken that pledge. The killing of
one of the fast horses by collision
in the ring, was said to have been
attributable to drink, but as we
were not present at the time we on
ly repeat what was told US. We
noticed at least one gambling wheel
in operation outside the grounds
but of this we ought to find no
fault since we learn that several af
fairs of that kind were admitted in
side of our Lake county fair grounds
on payment of fee to the mana
gers. We suggest that the grangers
of these counties had better take
control of the agricultural fairs.
Some of the farmers of Geauga
county have felt little aggrieved
by our report last spring, written for
the Country Gentleman, on the de-
terioration of the dairy pastures of
that county. Our remarks at that
time were made from visiting sever
al of the northern townships. and
from inspection of the official sta
tistics which show large falling off
of dairy products and of cattle,
while there is an increased acreage
of pasture lands. We ere told
that the southern part of the county
did not show such decline; and du-
ring this visit we were taken by sew
eral citizens of Burton and adjoining
sections of Auburn and Troy town
ships; and certainly from what we
saw, we should say there is no bet
ter farming country especially for
stock farming, in all Northern Ohio.
We are going to attend meeting
of the East Claridon Farmers Club,