The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-21
GETTING READY FOR
NORTHERN NECK FAIR.
Colored People to Hold One After
White Folks Fair is Over.
.AcTlvITYlN OYSTER BUSINESS
.ACTlVITYlN OYSTER BUSINESS
Almost Total Failure Of fine Fruit Crop
Except the Old Fashioned Varieties.
Farmers Securing Machinery
to Cut Their Corn.
Especial Dispatch to, The Times.)

Especial Dispatch to The Times.)
HEATHSVlLLE, VA, Sept. 2O-The
Board of Directors of the Northern
Neck Agricultural Association met at
the office of A. S. Rice recently and de-
cided to hold their annual county fair
here on the 18th. 18th. and 18th, of Oc-
tober. They are going to make it ex-
coed any fair that they have had on this
ground since its institution. They have
rented the ground to the colored people
of this neighborhood, who expect to have
4 fair after the white folks" fair is
over.
The Confederate veterans of Westmore-
land county will hold a reunion at Mon
tross Wednesday. September 2ith. Hon.
w. w. Walker, Judge I. B. R. Wright,
Rev. G. w. Beale. Hon. VIM. Mayo. and
Congressman w. A. Jones have been in
vited to deliver addresses on that occas-
All old Confederate veterans in the
Northern Neck are invited to come and
partake OF the bountiful dinner which
will be provided for them free of cost.
Miss Farinholt, daughter of Colonel B.
L. Farinholt, has been engaged as teach
er at the Lillian Institute. which opened
on Monday last.
There was a public sale recently of the
storehouse and dwelling situated here
and formerly owned by DR.. a. J. Quick.
The property was sold a short time ago
to n. II. Moses. who gave a deed of
trust thereon, and to satisfy this the
property was sold. II. c. Rowe bought
the place for S400.
James NJ Booth has secured the con-
tract to teas. down Providence school
house and erect another building to take
it's place.
THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.
Great preparations have been made
along the Rappahannock and Potomac
Rivers by the oystermen this season.
Boats of many descriptions and sizes
may daily be seen going and coming
from the oyster grounds, though each
year they seem to be fewer and fewer.
This is the result of several causes, the
prime one being the growing scarcity
of oysters upon the natural rocks. An
other is that quite a number Of former
oyster1nen are now in the planting and
buying branches of the business. The
market opened on the Potomac at 30
and so cents per bushel: on the Kappa
hammock at So and 40 cents per bushel,
and prices this season are predicted to
be good throughout. though there are
few to sell yet.
On account of the freshet last spring.
the planters on the Rappahannocl1 did
not get their usual supply: therefore they
will have to buy heavier this fall.
Oysters are very poor now, and have
been so all the summer, consequently
there has been little or no spawn.
A great deal Of money was invested
during the past summer in planting
Shells and unless there is a September
catch of spat much money will be lost.
APPLES FALL OFF.
It is reported from many parts of the
Northern Neck that nearly all of the
winesap apples have fallen from the
trees, and that no one will have fruit
the coming winter. except a few old
time persons, who have chung to the old
varieties. as the Timber Twig' and
Father Abram' apples. There is less
fruit through the Northern Neck than
there has been for many years and the
meagre quantities that remain on the
trees are very Indifferent and inspid.
Some farmers have already bought cX-
pensive machinery with which to cut
off their corn in anticipation of the scare
ity and independence of labor. The Ia
borers have notified some of the farmers
that they shall want higher wages this