Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-10-08
THE CLOSING DAY.
knd OF the Kennebec County r.,,
at Readfield.
AN ABLE Grafton by Judge Bean and a
WITTY Poem by R. ". Soule.


1 H0clQ-
" al feadfield, was ushered in with .un.
|, 'nine and milder weather. As consequence
acro"d OF over three thousand persons a..
'moled on the grounds. The display in the
nail began to thin out, as the exhibitors -.
moved their goods. Most of the cheeses,
anu ABOUT all the gilt-edged butter found .
ready sale, and there was considerable com.
petition among buyers to secure the prize AZ.
ticies. The exhibit of butter and cheese a,
TINS fair has been very large. The show y,
apples and other fruit was large. The Ken.
heoec farmers are in good spirits over the
enormous yields of their orchards. and the
prospective high price for apples. The crop
In kennebec is larger this wear than last
Jennings brothers of Wayne are fine orchard
ISIS and made good showing. A. Wheeler
OF winthrop, exhibited seventeen varieties.
samuel Gould of Augusta, H. o. Nickerson
OF Readfield. Owen McGrath of Winthrop.
). L. Dudley of Readfeld, Alvah Holden Of
Mt. Vernon, f. l.. Norcross of Manchester
ID. e. Robbins of East Winthrop, C. l.. Hun.
ton of Readfeld, G.. VI. Weston of Belgrade.
were exhibitors on generous scale c. NJ.
Weston of Belgrade showed ten varieties of
pears and fifteen of apples. He has 1000
young trees, all grown from seed. b. F. and
l.. p. Maxim of Wayne and George w. Hall
OF Mt. Vernon showed that something is being
done in kennebec in cultivating the cranberry
X. w. Soule, of Readfelds corn factory, ex-
hibited samples Of 30, 600 cans put UP by him
this year. b. w. Hartman of Kent's Hill,
had on exhibition several New Home" sew
ing machines, and an accomplished operator
gave exhibitions of the merits of the machine
by operating it, in manufacturing aprons for
the ladies who watched him.
At ten o'clock Secretary Low mounted the
stand, and read the reports of the committees.
There was some growing, of course; but in
the main people were satisfied, and concurred
with the decisions of the judges
At eleven o'clock Judge Z. O. Bean of
Readield delivered an interesting address,
mainly historical in its character, an abstract
of which we lay before our readers this morn
ing.
MIR. BEAN said
Mr.. President. members of the Kennebec
County Agricultural Society, ladies and gen.
tlemen You are here to-day under auspices
peculiarly favorable. TO the dilligent hand
| of the agriculturalist the earth has generous
ly responded, and the year has been a success
full one to the manufacturer and mechanic.
Since your last annual gathering, prosperity,
as a rule, has crowned your efforts and you
are here surrounded with abundant evidences
| of the productiveness of your farms and the
general success of your labors. Under these
circumstances it is no vanity for you, as the
oldest agricultural organization in the State.
to feel an honest pride in your history and
position. And on this semi-centennial ami
versary you have very appropriately deter
mined to spend brief period in reviewing
the history of your society, thereby recalling
the names and memories and actions of those
who so long and faithfully labored in its es-
Enlistment and growth
| In 1918 the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the Commonwealth of Massa-
| chusetts, in General Court assembled, passed
ian act to establish an Agricultural Society
| in Winthrop. for the promotion of agricul
ture the mechanic arts and manufactures.
This act was approvedby Governor Brooks in
February 1918. On July 4th ofthe same year
a society was organized under this charter,
| Win membership Oi III petsOus, hioStty ih-
habitants of the town of Winthrop. No Off
Ger or member of the society. as then con-
stituted, now survives. For eight successive
years the annual and semi-annual meetings
of this Society were regularly holden, and
| business transacted; but at this point there
seems to be slight suspension OF the organic
work until 1929 when the Legislature of
Maine passed an act similar to that of 1918,
''to incorporate the Winthrop Agricultural
Society" This last act of incorporation was
approred by Governor Enoch Lincoln, Feb
urary 2Sth, 1929, and on the sth Of April fol-
! lowing the society was organized under 1t.
Of the 40 persons then admitted az members
of the society. only three are now known to
be living viz: Nelson Packard and Oaks
Howard Of Winthrop, each IS years OF age,
and George w. Stanley of Augusta, aged 81.
Prior and up to 1929 the membership and
action of the winthrop Agricultural So
ciety" were naturally largely within the town
of Winthrop. But the efforts Of the large
hearted and public-spirited men enlisted in
| its interests began to attract attention and
excite action broader and beyond the town
of its birth and name. And in 1882 the
Legislature provided for a change of the
name of the society to that OF the 'kenne-
bee County Agricultural Society"
Originating as a town organization; TAX
ing the name of Winthrop; managed mainly
| in the outset by citizens of that locality
those men who lived and died as veterans in
the cause of agriculture, and whose names
afterwards became as familiar as household
words" with the farmers of Kennebec-its IN
fiuence has been extended and felt through
out the county and State. Indeed, it 10 the
father of agricultural societies in the State OF
Maine today. One Of the first Incorporated.
the first organized, and the longest and most
continuously and successfully maintained,
YOU NAV well have praisewortby pride IN
] it's history.
When [ review the names OF Its early
members, Mr.. President they present no.
/ Bile membership. embracing many representa-,
tive men in their several departments and
professions in life throughout the country.
| And from the association and action OF such
men. Won could expect nothing less than the
lawn: of foundation, which, wisely ouiiheo
upou bv worthy successors, has gwen oo
Years of glorious history to the most success
full and leading county agricultural society
Tbe frst exhibition of the County Society
was holden in September, 1882, ana one mas
been holden every year since; until to-day
,o,, are celebrating your 5Oth annual cattie