The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-20
.FLORIDA'SFAIR OPENS
A GRAND DISPLAY OF THE STATES
PRODUCTS.
GOV. JENNINGS ADDRESS.
aE COMPLIMENTS JACKSONVILLE
ON HER RESTORATION.

sect1On-OfanSe, tOluSIas Oade,
Brevard and st. Johns Have Fine
Exhibits.
Jacksonville. Fla, Nov. 19.--With
lust enough of a sprinkle to properly
ohristen the occasion, the Florida State
Agricultural Fair was opened in this
city to-day, with appropriate exercises
in which Gov. w. S. Jennings and
Mayor Duncan U. Fletcher took speak,
ing parts.
The exercises took place in the au-
ditorium, and were carried out without
hitch in the programme. After the
band concert Gov. Jennings made an
eloquent address during which he
traced the progress of the Fair as
medium of exhibiting the products of
states and nations from the festival OF
the Greeks soon after the fall of Troy
He took occasion to compliment the
citizens of Jacksonville upon the unex-
ampled rapidity with which they had
gone to work to obliterate the damage
done by the great fire of May 8, and
made a comparison between this city
and Chicago.
Mayor Fletcher welcomed the people
of the state to the fair and to the hos
pitality of the citizens of Jacksonville.
The fair itself contains the finest ex-
hibit of citrus fruits ever on exhibition
this side of the Rocky Mountains and
also displays an advance in farming,
stock raising and truck gardening that
is revelation to those who have not
kept pace with Florida's progress in
n Nha nf In
manager, Mai. G. P. Healy, in bring
ing to successful issue under difficult
ties the present exposition is highly
commended. The usual attractions
minus those which might offend the
morals of the community, are all in
evidence and the arrangements of the
tent exhibitions have been laft to the
direction of w. H. Mcfarland, himself
a side show manager of national repu-
tation.
The city itself, although in the midst
of enormous building operations, has
assumed gala appearance and the
streets are brilliantly illuminated at
night. Many showmen have been at
traeted here and aside from what is on
exhibition at the fair grounds there is
a regular street fair in progress.
While many of the counties of the
state are represented the bulk of the
exhibits come from South Florida and
East Florida. The progress made in
tobacco culture and manufacture, cas-
sava for stock and manufacture, and
improved stock is in evidence from all
parts of the state. Probably the finest
county exhibits fare those of Orange,
Volusia, Dade, Brevard, and st. Johns.
although Baker, Pasco, Columbia and
other counties, including Duval, are
well worth seeing.
The Orange county exhibit contains
a display of monster pineapples grown
as a rule under cover on a large scale,
that attracted universal attention. The
finest specimens of sugar cane formed
part of her exhibit and in the line of
citrus fruits the county had a fine dis
play.
Brevard and Dade counties joined
issues in representing the Southern
east cost, and collectively displayed the
capabilities of that section of Florida
on a grand scale. The pineapple sec
ton, par excellence, it made a special
exhibit of pines, c. T. McCarty of
Ankona, Brevard county, leading in
this class. The Dade county exhibit
contained many varieties of fruit, such
as paw paws, maumee apples, custard
apples, lines, citron, mangoes and
alligator pears. Guava syrup, jellies
and an infinite variety of preserves
made from tropical and sub-tropical
fruits, were greatly admired. The ex-
hibit of the Dixon Medicine Company
of medicinal preparations manufactur-
ed from the saw palmetto at Titusville,
came in for a large share of atten-
ton. The famous Indian river
oranges and grape fruit figured
largely in the Brevard exhibit.
Noiusia county had many fine indi-
vidual exhibits, there being none finer
than that Of James Carnell whose pre-
served fruits, guava jellies, candied or
ange. orangeate, grapefruit marmalade,
guava cheese, ETC., have already neceiv-
ed first prizes at the Pan American Ex-
hibition. w. S. Hart of Hawks Park
had a notable display of citrus fruits,
and the Romeo grove, the celebrated
plantation of w. E. Conner, the New
York broker and former partner of the
late Jay Gould, added much to the VAL
dosta booth. An especial feature of
the Conner exhibit, which was in
charge of b. T. Chiffon, was a great
variety of fine wines.
The exhibit of st. Johns county was
unique, covering the whole field of hor-
ticulture, agriculture, pisciculture and
other industries. and reflected credit
on Commissioner c. F. Hopkins of
that county. There were huge saw
fish, tarpon and alligators, citrus
fruits, pears, domestic wines, a me
display of garden truck of all kinds.
manufacture. One of the best exhibits
from this county, was that OF Eugene
Masters, consisting of Irish and sweet
potatoes, snap beans, lettuce and other
vegetables. The pecan was also muen
in evidence and in the display made by
DIR. r. b. Garnett some very flne kle-
fer pears won favorable comment.
Columbia county showed up strong
as one of the finest counties in the
state for general agricultural prod
ucts. 1t is in this county that the
State Agricultural College is located
and the Columbia exhibit was rich IN
its display of fine field products as wen
as Of hogs and cattle.
Pasco county's contribution TO the
Fair showed the varied possibilities OF
the soil In this prosperous little coun-
ty Its products of citrus fruits were
very creditable, while in Strawberries
and vegetables it ranks with the best.
Baker county, adjoining Duval, ana
near neighbor Of the state OF Geor-
gia, has the banner display Of nur-
sery stock. G.. l.. Taber and Grinlng
Bros. have both a magnificent display
They also show that even in the most
northern part OF the state fine oranges
can, with care, be grown with proft,
Baker county display OF oranges yies
with some Of the more southeriy
counties.
An odd but none the less interesting
exhibit was that Of State Fish Commits
sioner John Y. Detwiler, Of New smyr-