Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-09-27
FARM AND GARDEN.
Grains, Fruits, Vegetables and
Flowers

Maintained the Reputation OF the VAL
ley Fair as a Genuine show OF the
Products OF the Soil.
Augmented to a considerable extent,
doubtless, by the prestige of previous years
and the spirit of friendly rivalry which ex-
lists between some of the leading competi-
tive exhibits, the agricultural display,
which has previously been accorded the
distinction of being the finest display of
its kind in New England, transcribed all
former attempts, not only in the variety
and magnitude of the exhibits, but in their
generally clean, wholesome and palatable
appearance. There were new exhibitors
on the one hand and increased displays by
old exhibitors on the other, as was the case
in the other departments of the big show.
In this respect and the interest which it
aroused, agricultural hall was second to no
other department. The immense throng
of visitors bore testimony to this fact.
Aside from those already mentioned the
distinguishing feature of the exhibits was
the mammoth proportions of the different
varieties, especially of fruit A share of
the success of the department is due to
the superintendent, A. w. Roel, whose
obliging temper was evinced in promptly
attending to the thousand and one de-
mandS incidental to the Office.
To enter the hall one must pass under
an arch of lima beans raised by Willard
Edwards. This arch was composed of two
poles of "the king of the garden" the
largest of which was u feet high and con-
tanned over 800 pods. Mr.. Edwards's hall
exhibit was very creditable for a small gar
den and contained all the vegetables ordin-
arily called for. A Chinese pepper tree of 50
htteh inn nf
corn grown since July 4, etc, were feat
ures. Mr.. Edwards has As tomato plants
from which he has sold over 600 pounds of
| fruit.
At the left of the entrance was the ex-
tensive and representative exhibit of A.
| w. Roel, the Retreat gardener. This ex-
hibt was bounded on one end by IA NAM
moth Proterion pumpkins mistaken for
squashes by nine-tenths of the people, va
ryng in weight from $50 to 100 pounds,
and on the other by a cucumber gourd five
feet long, enclosing varieties of like pro-
| portions, such as mammoth Chill squash
of 70 pounds weight, 26-pound norbtan
giant mangle, etc. There were 20 varie-
| ties of squashes, II of table beets, 10 of
corn-over 22j varieties in all. An ade-
quate idea of the extent of this exhibit
can be gotten from the fact that it covered
over $50 square feet. Mr.. Roel says it was
the handsomest and most satisfactory crop
he has ever raised.
Next in importance of the local exhibits
was that from the Bradley farm, George
Horner, gardener. There were PIP vare-
ties covering one-half the centre table and
made up of 80 varieties of squashes, % of
beans, including the Windsor bean, which
is very rare in this vicinity, Is of pump
| nf 4 nf n 90
tatoes, including good-sized sweet potatoes,
peanuts, etc. One cucumber weighed six
pounds. Frosts materially lessened the
number of varieties of Mr.. Horners prod
| uct.
From out of town, one of the most no
table, and perhaps the best, of marketable
products was made by b. w. Brown of
Springfield, VT. Mr.. Brown was here
with 264 varieties in all, 80 of squashes, 81
of beans, 80 of melons, 20 of onions, as
many OF radishes and gourds, and citrons
weighing from 40 pounds down. He ex-
hibited 204 varieties at the fair at White
River Junction Sept. and 3.
The exhibits of Mr.. Brown and of John
f. Gale of Guilford occupied the entire
north side of the hall. Mr.. Gale showed
140 varieties of a clean lot of vegetables of
which he is justifiably proud. He showed
20 varieties of corn which was the best
ever exhibited here from any quarter.
There were also in his exhibit 20 varieties
of potatoes, as many of turnips and 10 of
cabbages, all of which were fine.
Charles F. Coombs, aged 10 years, of
Gulford, had an attractive exhibit of 20
varieties. II. G. and l.. d. Haynes had a
nice exhibit of 43 varieties, including II
of potatoes and five of squash. Bushnell
. 4 ,l,o
varieties which did them credit.
l.. Streeter of West Dummerston show
ed 40 varieties, Carl Hopkins SO varieties
of excellent looking potatoes, Howard
King of Marlboro 20 varieties. Fifty va
rieties were shown. in attractive form by
Arthur G.. Winter of West Brattleboro.
John Nesbitt showed 10 varieties of grain.
An exhibit which took first prize at the
Franklin county fair at Greenfield consist
ed of II kinds of potatoes and nine of
squashes shown by r. II. Cushman of
Bernardston.
The largest potatoes in the hall were
shown by F. w. Rouillard of Hinsdale.
Twenty-one varieties of potatoes shown by
j. III. Stowe IL Son of Wilmington and nine
by G. l.. Fisher were admired JohnWood
showed several kinds of sweet corn, and
Pondorosa tomatoes which were beauties.
Hubbard squashes were exhibited by Royal
Wood, f. f. Hasting of North Hinsdale,
and Archie Perry of West Brattleboro
Smaller exhibits were made by j. G. Stat
ford, William Winslow of West Brattle-
boro, George F. Hubbard of Westmore-
land, Carroll A. Stacey, A. W. Bartlett
Gilbert Stacey of Gill, Mass, T. p. Miller
of West Brattleboro, Mrs. o. L. Miner, G.
W. Sargent, Il. l.. johnson of Vernon, A.
G. Brown of Bernardston, Mass, and Da-
vid Owen of Hinsdale. Laura j. Haskins
showed a Hubbard squash of the season of
1894.
A varied agricultural display was also
made by II. M. Scott of Halifax, pota-
toes; Albert Sanderson, Gill, Mass, mel
ons; A. A. Dunklee, South Vernon; M.
II. Moore, Mortified, Mass, and the Pin
nacle farm, Walpole, N. H.
An interesting exhibit in this depart
ment was some Egyptian corn, shown by
K. S. Corse of South Vernon. This is
supposed to be the grain cultivated in
Egypt at the time of the Israelitish captiv-
ity.
j. II. Stowe & Son had an attractive ex-
hibit of maple sugar in cakes and pals,
graduated maple sugar and bottled syrup.
E. A. Fitch of Wilmington made a ma
pie sugar exhibit which rivaled that of
Stowe & Son. In fact he was about the
only other competitor. His bottled syrup
and hard sugar certainly looked tempting,
but we are glad on our own part that it is
left for the judges to decide as to which is
the more deserving of praise.
The avbihit Of tho RrattlahOrO Jallu