The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-12-31
The Central Florida Fair.

The fair, which was held at Talla-
hassee last week, proved great sue
cess. We regret that business pre-.
vented our attending, but the Flor
idiGn gives us full account of the
proceedings in a Christmas supple.
ment, from which we clip the parts
that are most suited to our paper.
1t says:
The fair has proved complete sue
cess, financially ana otherwise and
the prospects of the enterprise for
the future are brighter than ever be-
fore. Every succeeding one is ex.
pected, and bids fair,to be OF increased
and increasing interest. tr
The following is list of exhibitors
in each with sketch OF the different
departments; Ygq.
Colonel John Bradford exhibited
in this department specimens of Leon
county sweet potatoes, oats, corn and
cotton, all OF superior quality.
Mr.. Charles A. Choate exhibited
splendid samples of native grown corn
and rice. .,. q.r, s..,.f
Mrs. Judge Mcmahon lot of very
fine sweet potatoes. MIR. G. G. Gibbs,
specimen Of oats raised by himself
near Tallahassee.
Mr.. N. W. Eppes, OF Leon county,
made quite a nice display of rice, oats,
rutabagas, egg-plants, snap-beans and
other fresh vegetables /; also, of Flor.
ida syrup and home made vinegar.
Three very large and fine pumpkins
were put on exhibition by Becky
Pope, colored woman of this county.
Mrs. r. G. Parkhill exhibited five
pounds of extraordinary home made
butter, and some splendid country
cured hams.
7oats, lsCe- -aT7a ) sJCk corn
were exhibited by Captain p. Hous-
toun. Mrs. Houstoan made an ex-
hibit of a plate of country butter,
golden in color and beautifully pre-
pared.
Que bushel Of rice and an extra
heavily fruited stalk OF cotton were
displayed by J. A. Grice. w. T.
Webster exhibited a sample bale of
upland cotton; w. HI. Bradford, a
lot OF rust-proof oats; w. A. Demilly,
a barrel OF Florida syrup, extra quail.
ity.
Mr.. = Isler had on exhibition corn
meal and homemade vinegar, of su-
perior quality; r. f. Bradford,
barrel of Florida syrup, and Miss
Bette Bradford, five pounds of excel.
lent butter. Mrs. Douglass also ex.
hibited plate of butter equal in
every respect to that displayed by her
competitors for the prize This de.
partment was not well represented in
exhibits. "~H
The most extensive collection, by
far, was that exhibited by Mrs. W.
H. Gibson, of Gadsden county, who
was represented by that genial gen.
tleman, Mr.. III. f. Sharon, and his
amiable lady. The assortment com.
prised 355 different articles, all pre-
pared by the one lady.
Ot preserves alone :here were III
varieties; 81 varieties of iellies, &c
of pickles, 20 Of ketchups, Ii of
wined fruits, 13 of branded fruits, 8
OF cordials, and 5 of vinegars. A
glass Of ground cherry jelly, filled
with beautiful and perfect crystaliza-
tions of every conceivable form,
large jars OF squash, cucumber and
glass-melon preserves OF wonderful
transparency, picalilli and chow-chow
OF very superior quality, and one jar
OF watermelon citron preserves, 25
years old, still fresh and beautiful
were among the most noticeable arti-
cles included in this truely splendid
collection. 1t is utterly impossible
even casually to mention one.half of
them. Mrs. Gibson was awarded
eight different prizes at the late
Gadsden County Fair, held at Quincy,
on her display of the above articles
at that place.
Second in extent, but not in point
of attraction, was the exhibit of
like collection by Mrs. w. III. Scott,
of Midway. This lady had on exhi-
bition 220 different kinds of pre-
serves, iellies, syrups, marmalades,