Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-17
FLORIDA STATE FAIR.
LARGE ATTENDANCE AND FINE
EXHIBITS.
The Collection of Fruit-Early vegeta-
bies-Cattle and POultry-Household
Articles - Machinery - Amusements -
The Ball-Particular Features-The
Florida Fruit Growers.

ana thus has it continued since and this cit,
now is probably more crowded than ever be
fore. The great attraction is the eighth anuua
state Fair, which was formally opened OF
Tuesday last. The attendance the first dav. a,
usual, was not large, but on Wednesday it ha6
swelled considerably, and on Thursday it wa,
immense. The weather was quite warm. anC
drops of perspiration could be seen fallins
from many brows. The piercing rays fsthC
sun were toopenetrs ting for much outdoor ex.
ercise.
In the centre of the exposition hall is one OF
the most magnificent collections of native
fruits ever exhibited in this or any other
State. DR.. Davis, of this city, does not think
the oranges as large as those exhibited at the
last fair, bnt Colonel Redmond is of opinion
that they are as good if not better Both
these gentlemen are learned and ex-
cellent authority on agricultural mat
ters. These oranges, lemons, lines,
plneapples, pawpaws, citrons, sugar
| apples, persimmons, etc, were from the
groves of Col. +. L. Dancy, Messrs. f. H.
| Hart, Thomas Shalley and DIR. n. H. Mo-
ragney, in Putnam county; Messrs. ID. Green
leaf, OF Jacksonville, from his grove in Orange
county, and NJ. L. Philips and others OF
Duval county. From the Indian river country
| an excellent assortment comes from the
| groves OF MeSsrs. j. A. Chappell, u. 5. Har-
| dee, j. Z. Seiser W. S. Ab0tt, c. b. Magrue-
| der and others. The latter gentleman Ia
Georglan) has magnificent collection of
! fruits from his Brevard county groves and the
| first sugar-apples and pawpaWs ever viewed
| by hundreds, are here seen in his collections
ms plneapples were beautiful, and the best of
1t he was at the table to furnish all desired in
formation. This was wanting in many in
| stances.
The veteran ex-editor of Tampa, DIR. Wall,
| had small collection of handsome manda-
| rims on the fruit table. Mr.. Charles Good
| riehs huge lemons from VOlusia county were
much admired. The same can be said of
| borough county. A large and varied cOllec
| the above.
Sumter and Levy counties make exhibits
! which are creditable to her soil and an honor
! to the whole State. Sumter's table was filed
| with crates of tender snap-b beans fresh from
the vines, very large sugar cane, beautiful
/ punches of growing lettuce, kale, and half
| dozen mammoth cabbages, rice weighing
forty y-fve pounds to the bushel, fine sample
| Of tobacco, peas, oats, cactus plants peanuts.
native woods, huge, grape vines, a sumac tree
! ten inches around the largest part. This
| county also had magnificent display of
| fruits from the groves of Messrs. A. p. Roberts,
| D. X. Cunningham, and others.
Levy did not fall behind Sumter county one
| OF the soil, as well as clever gentlemen. who
| were ever ready to impart information, Gen.
| Sebrng did not allow his county to be over
! looked, and with an upraised index finger
| pointed all to the white, crisp, hard headed
| cabbages, huge turnips Zone of which would
| De dinner Tor a small family, sweet potatoes
| just as large as the rutabagas, jute about ten
| feet in length and as white and soft as hair,
| six bales of first class sea island cotton rice
| weighing sixty pounds to the bushel grown on
| pine land, oats, corn, peanuts carrots rad
| ishes, a fine collection of fruit trees. woods.
| syrups, sugars, preserves, cassava (which was
| pinched by every one that handled il, so soft
and nice did it feel to the tOuch),
| specimens of ore, soils, etc. Levy's
! fruit was Al. Mr. Magruder. of
| Brevard, Messrs. Sebring, Barco. Coachman.
and Swindall, of Levy, were always on hand
| 10 talk up their respective sections and eX-
| hibits, and it was just the thing. and well did
| these representatives bring their counties
prominently before the American peOple-as
perhaps every State in the Union had a visitor
to this fair. Why other counties did not thus
advertise themselves is not known. and that
| they did not will be regretted by and by.
The table luXurles were very fine, espe-
| cially the preserves and bread. The floral
display is well up to those of former exposi-
tions. The potted plants lead here. Some
beautiful flowers were to be seen Thursday,
hibits in this department are from Jackson
vile and vicinity.
The, display of machinery is much better
than last year. Here a home made roller
| cotton gin, operated by foot power by its in
ventor, Uncle Sam Spearing, colored citizen
OF DuYal county, Is a curiosity, aud his de-
scriptlve powers grand. He says it's exactly
like the one used on his masters plantation
in Baker county forty years ago. The Geiser
Manufacturing Company, of Waynesboro,
Pa, have one of their domestic steam engines
under full headWay, driving their cele-
DRAFTED grain thresher, separator and cleaner,
They also exhibit traction engines, or road
locomotives, and saw mills, which are in
spected by all.
One Of the finest displays of native woods.
neatly carved and polished and joined to-
gether in panels, scrolls, ETC., is from the EN-
pire Steam Saw Mills of Messrs. Drew Il
Bucki, at Ellaville. 1t contains the following
woods: China, yellow and curly pine cedar
magnolia, TORY, cherry, Wahoe, mulberry,
holly, red elm, red bay, persimmon. poplar,
dogwOod, ash, irOnwood, tupelo gum. hack
berry, red oak, white bay. live oak and sweet
gum-all from the forests of Madison and Su-
wannee counties.
The art department is very attractive, and
many rare and beautiful specimens are ex-
hibited. This is about the average display
and it is regretted that the NEWS cannot have
a full list of these handsome pictures and
gifted, artists now for publication as it is de-
served.
There is a large display of patch and needle
work, as well as fine canned goods groceries,
wines, liquors, etc.
The exhibit of thread by the Willimantic
Comm Thread Company is beautiful, Their
agent in charge says that all the thread on ex-
hibitiOn is made from Florida cotton. pur-
chased and shipped by III. i. DuttOn & Co. of
Gainesville, direct to their mills in Connecti-
cut. The various colors of thread artistically
Ornamented in show case, is very attractive
A spool of this thread given to little girls
the fair sex.
The stock and poultry displays are small.
though what there is of it is fine. Here Levy
county leads the State in swine. i. H. Davis,
of Hibernia, exhibits fine jersey bulls and
heifers; Mr.. Sterrett, of Duval county. native
; Florida bull four years old that is a very fine
specimen, and said to weigh 800 pounds. An
Ayreshire COW, Guinea cow, four South
down sheep and colt were in the pen, but no
one claimed them, or could tell from whence
they came. A $50 pound barrow, a red Jersey
hnQr mi aiarc a,aho ID
boar weighing $50 pounds came from; Levy.
The poultry consisted Of LeghOrns, game,
Plymouth Rock Cochin, turkeys, white ducks
from Duval county, and a coop of bantams
from Vermont, as pretty as were ever seen.
This is about all in the stock and poultry line
One of the most interesting exhibits is the
bee culture and the manufacture of honey, the
comb, ETC., as explained and shown by Mr..
w. S. Hart, of VOlusia county. He saws his
plan is to supplythe bees with the comb and
let them shape the cells and fill them with
honey. He has the sheet wax, honey vinegar
wine and granulated honey, which he keeps
and uses in his wonderful work, and it is ex-
ceedingly interesting to see him prepare, and
then hear him explain, the different modes of
his discovery and operation. He has the
largest apiary and makes more honey than
any other man in the South.
Only one military company was present to
take part IN the drill yesterday-the Jackson
ing were the cadets from Gainesville, The
First Florida Artillery Of Jacksonville, were
IN dttenudheos 1ueFe was no contest except
for individual prizes. The drill of these com
panies were without fault, and the skirmish
drill of the East Florida Seminary Cadets
under command Of Lieutenant Wagner, was
excellent, and the company received the
praise of all present. W. j. EEngle was
awarded the prize as the best drilled soldier
Of the Jacksonville Light Infantry, and prize
of $40 was awarded Cadet Hodges, of Bradford
county, as best drilled in his command
Late in the afternoon, Thursday, model of
locomotive drawing O train Of cars was
brought into the grounds. The cars were
laden with fruit, lumber, naval stores and cot
ton. The freight cars were about FIVE feet in
length and the locomotive and tender were
quite young. All were apparently speeding
on their way at rapid rate. This was from
the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway
shops, and was undoubtedly one of the finest
pieces of mechanism ever exhibited any
where. All the cars, locomotive ana traek
where made Of wood
The amusemeIts were largely attended
On Wednesday five knights from Madison
county, four from Volusia and seven from
jacksonville entered the tournament and the
contest was not finished until Thursday after
noon, when Messrs. III. III. Buckman of hack
sonville; W. w. Stapler, Of Vol6sia county
and0C. A: DICKINSON, Of Madison, were de-
cash, 500, $75 and $50.
The military ball at the rink last night was
a grand affair and attended by hundreds.
Inc ialr still continues, but the big day was
yesterday, and probably there will not be such
a rush again. The city is quite full and many
have returned home on account of crowded
hotels. streets, etc.
The death qf ex Congressman S. L. Niblack
at LAKE Slty Yesterday caused number to
return TO that place last night. The end of a
good man.
About one hundred members Of the Florida
Legislature came down to see the sights on
1hursuay ana returned to Tallahassee the
party. -