St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-19
MOWER COUNTY.
The Farmers Join Hands for an An
nual Fair.
What the Globe Found or Yesterday as the
Result.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. |

AUSTIN, Sept. IS, 1SS4.-The first annual
exhibition of the resurrected Mower County
Agricultural society held at their grounds
adjoining this city, closed to day. / say
resurrected, from the fact that such an insti-
tuition had its birth twelve years ago and
| after lingering existence of five years it
died and was put away in its little grave, with
but few If any to mourn its untimely demise.
This was during the time when the exclu-
sive production of wheat year after year had
prostrated the farming community in this
section of the state, and had paralyZed the
energies of the people. The change which
has taken place in farming operations in
this section caused by the impetus given to
stock raising and the dairy, has wrought a
wonderful change in the aspect of
affairs and the Farmers Alliance
coming to the front have recognized the
defunct society, or rather organized new
one, and have started out with brilliant pros
poets. The institution is In the hands of
practical men and thorough farmers, and
contains the best blood of Mower county.
The following are the officers of the society:
President, George W. Grimshaw, Lansing
Vice President, d. B. Smith, Austin.
Secretary, F. P. Mcbride, Austin.
Treasurer, w. T. wilkins, Austin.
Executive Com mittee, j. j. Furlong, A.
Frederick, j. c. Hawkins, II. w. Lightly, G.
II. Goats, NJ. Teeter, j. B. ReYord, Jonas
Haney, A. Knox.
The grounds recently purchased by the So
ciety are those formerly owned by the Aus
tin Driving park, another defunct institu-
ton, and are located about one mile south
west from the city. The spot is fine one,
as level as could be desired and has one of
the best half mile tracks in the west. The
buildings are floral hall 30x60 and few
stables. The grounds are as yet unfenced
and there is vast deal of improvement
necessary before the society has the grounds
in shape to suit them. Their success the
first year warrants them in erecting fences,
stables, an enlargement of floral hall and
such other buildings as are necessary, which
will be done the coming year, when it will
be one of the finest country fair grounds in
the state.
OF course the first item of interest now-a-
days in regard to agricultural matters, is
''what are the farmers doing to improve the
quality of their stock" The time was, and
not very long ago, either, when there was
so little thoroughbred stock in this county,
or in southern Minnesota for that matter,
that 1t was scarcely worth mentioning. To-
day shows a most marked change.
When my granger friend, w. T. Wilkins,
invited me here to see what Mower county
could do in the way Of an agricultural exhi-
bition, reflected, as Mower county, like
her sisters of the southern tier, was fast
emerging from the state of depression and
embarrassment which the exclusive wheat
farming of few years ago had engendered,
and that she was liable TO get up a tirst-class
exhibition. 1 was not disappointed in this
conjecture
About the first thing which 1 did on my
arrival upon the grounds was to visit the
stock. Not being ''horse crank, " passed
at once to the cattle department. Here /
felt more at home, and found things more to
my liking. OF course there were the newt
able Holsteins, but also found my favorite
Short Horns. Talk about symmetry and
beauty in the bovine species, and if you can
produce anything that can down the Short
Horns you are more fortunate than / ever
was. 1t is all right to breed for milk and
butter, but when you find any blood that will
give you more cash money at two years old
than n Short Horn you have got to hunt a
long time. But / am wandering from my
legitimate descriptive vein.
l suppose must head the stock exhibit
with the Holstein herd of A. V, Ellis, of Aus
tin township. He had 30 head of full bloods
and grades. At the head Of this herd is
"Daniel Deconda,' No. 1917, imported. OF
course it is a most magnificent herd, the
largest and best ever shown at any fair in
Minnesota, state or county, and although |
do. not fancy the black and white spotted
fellows, still l am not dead to the fact that
they are flne-formed, high bred animals and
have their good points and are to-day the
popular breed and the general favorites.
The next herd Of importance, so far as
blood and numbers, was that of E. S. Hoppin
registered Devons. 1t consisted Of "Grand
Triumph No. 2304, at the head and COW
and two calves, one Of which, Rival" three
and a half months old, was sold on the
grounds for 500 to Richardson Il Day. They
were beauties, as red as blood and as perfect
in form as could be imagined. l half like a
Devon anyway.
The only Jersey was COW, the property of
Mrs. John Engle, OF Austin. 1t was q pretty
animal, small, but well formed, and as do
Gle and gentle as its blood always are.
SHORT HORNS.
There is where I felt at home. There
were no large herds exhibited, but there
were some splendid specimens OF this desira-
ble strain, which may well be denominated
the king Of cattle. or the Short Horns exhib-
tied NJ. Teeter shows "Duke Of Rockdale: ~
E. II. Wells, ''Charles Lowry and two full
blood COWS; J. J. Furlong, General Scott, ~
COW and calf; C. f. Carter, four head full
bloods, while J. VI. Furlong shows herd Of
twenty head Of Short Horn grades, which
take the cake.
Now, right here let me state that If there
is anything Of which am thoroughly posted
It is this not very agreeable but quite useful
class of animals. Swine, as pets, are not
very desirable, though ''Guinea pigs'' achieve
quite a notoriety that way, but when il comes
to a corner give me the '.Jew'' despised hog.
especially when it is engineered by an Gar
mour." When l struck this department I
found that J. J. Furlong came 10 the front
with three pens Of Poland China, (pure
bloodsl, with minnesota Boy at the head.
Oscar Ayers had three pens of Jersey Reds,
and James Stewart one of Chester Whites.
They were all good samples Of their class
SHEEP.
Well, here was where 1 felt that 1 was on
my native heath, so to speak. 1t was in this
class that Secretary JudsOn, of the State