Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-25
AT THE FAIR.
4 TOUR OF THE AGRICULTURAL
BUILDING.

Most Of the States Poorly Represented
in the Agricultural Department
What Foreign Nations Show.
South of the main branch of the lagoon
at the Fair stands the structure known as
the Agricultural Building. A low dome
graced with the gilded statue of Diana,
the Huntress, is its chief architectural
beauty. The statue is the already famous
one from New York. Standing ON one
foot in the attitude of runner. the
Loose veil that she carries about her form
is blownby the wind in swelling folds
back of the fcct-footed Huntress. In
this position it proves lever for the
breeze and the heroic figure is in consc-
quence most artistic weather-vanc. At
each OF the four corners of the building
is dome similar in design to the central
one but much smaller. These domes are
surmountcd by a group Of statuary sym
bolical of the four seasons. Foar maid.
cns stand with their faces 10 the four
corners "f the Garth. On their shoulders
they support, II small globe rounded by q
band which bears the signs OF the zodiac.
Frequent groups Of statuary symbolic of
the buildings purpose crown the cornice
In various places along its length Com
paratively speaking, no other building
has as la'gc II gallery area rs this Oae. A
man must have II wonderful stomach to
lido" the gallery after the fashion its
occupants desire. This gallery is main
ly occupied by the results for the table
and household produced from from the
yield of tho farm.
Somebody said man may visit the
gallery and feast sumptuous!y for moth.
ing. The exhibitors up there arc offer
ing samples. Soups, pickles, sauces,
beef teas, farinaccous preparations Tor
the breakfast table; cake favored with
this and made from that; horseradish,
peptonized milk, new designs" in
cheese, cook books, pancakes made with
cotton seed oil as lubricator, root
beers, canned fruits, preserves, jellies,
chocolates, teas, coffees. wines. ETC.. etc.
!, And wherever something to eat is offered
for sampling how the ladies old and
young gather around that spot! 1t is so
consummately womanly! stood by and
observed one of the crowds The g,,sto
with which they sliacked their lips and
licked their finger tips would have set "A
dyspeptic wild with envy. To see them
was positively appetizing. l might have
felt like stepping forward to get a taste
. myself. but never having been center
rush in game of Rugby football. |
moved away feeling that my early cduca-
ton had been sadly neglected.
must confess a certain disappoint-
ment in viewing the agricultural display
made by the generality of the States
While they are all there and have their
displays set out in most artistic way.
the absolute lack of anything like com
pleteness j. most pronounced had ex-
pectcd that each State would have
enough home pride tomake showing of
something that would betoken little
more than an A b c acquaintance
with its own products. looked for an
agricultural display that would be
worthy Of the name did not find it.
AS understand the terms, agriculture is
the theory of farming and farming the
practice of agriculture. Consequently
when our States put out their hands to
make display in the Agricultural Hall,
" is shameful to find them showing
nothing more than vases OF whcat.and
bottles OF corn, fow sheaves of rye and
barley, etc. Actually some of them have
nothing but samples of the grain pro-
duced in the State. Indeed some of them
limit themselves to a few of the most
important products of the State! The
one redecming feature is the fact that
the Agricultural Department of the
General Government is represented. As
with all things done by the Government
OF the United States, thoroughness is the
characteristic.
France has agrand showing-grand in
its detailed Completeness. Nothing
seems to have been forgotten. All Of
her display is made with the utmost
taste. Does she show a wheat sheaf2
Beneath it, sunken in the hoard to which
the sheaf is attached, may be seen, COW
cred ny glass face, handful of the
wheat. There are colored plaster mod
els OF many-mayI not say all9-of her
products. Then her agricultural colleges
have a showing that is simply magniti-
cent. Diagrams indicating the method
followed in many of the experiments, the
text book used in the schools, the vol.
umes issued by her agricultural depart
ments-nothing is forgotten, nothing
omitted.
Russia and Mexico deserve a similar
need OF praise. l saw these exhibits
and felt as though had learned some
thing. Indeed. l made up my mind to
return and give them more careful
scrutiny. Some of the foreign peoples
seem to have taken the Agricultural
Building rs place in which to bring
before the eyes Of the world some par
ticular product of their country. Con
sequently their coffecs or their tcas have
received all their attention and the rest |
of the agricultural products of the coun-
try, scarcely appear. Again a disap-
pointment to the visitor. British |
Guinea makes a display that for its
completeness is very satisfactory. She
shows no end of her sugar products
from the finest whites to the heaviest and |
darkest browns. The crystals of these
sugars are, as rule, very |
large. They are notably SO in |
the medium grades displayed. Then the
cassavas product may be seen. This
plant has several names. It is known IA |