The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-09-11
SAN JUAN WAS IN IT
TAKES NUMEROUS FIRST PRIZES AT
THE wHATCOM FAIR
Orcas Island Leads the County in Num-
ber and Variety of Premiums-Gener-
al Agricultural Display Disappointing
to San Juan Visitors.

'fairly in it" at the Whatcom Fair
as usual. And now-as usual also
many who might have sent creditable
exhibits of grains, vegetables, fruits or
live stock are regretting that they did
not, and some who did exhibit and
secured first premiums would feel a
greater degree of pride in their awards
if they had had more to compete
opinion of visitors from this county
that while the fair as a whole was
worth seeing and the races especially
| fine the agricultural and live stock ex-
hibits were far below what they should
have been in the scale of merit. This
county is credited with having made
the finest display of fruits aud grains
and the only live stock sent from here
John Sweeney's big Durham bull
"Illustrious General" and E. M. Chal-
mers' Red Polled dairy cattle and one
boar, from West Sound-were easy
winners of first prizes. and San Juan
might have held the record also for
draft stations had Alfred Lawson been
able to get there, as he intended, with
his Percheron "Brigapd," and Alfred
Douglas with his handsome Clydes-
dale. In sheep. too, first premiums
might easily have been taken for San
Juan OXforddowns, Southdowns and
Shropshires. But what's the use of
talking about what might have been.
The fair over there seems now to have
passed the experimental stage and to
give promise of becoming II permanent
and credtable institution in which the
farmers of this county can well afford
to take an active and general interest
and 60 in next year for the best pre-
iums "in sight" in the various branches
of agriculture and stock raising.
We quote the following notes from
the Fairhaven Herald of especial in
terest to Orcas island people:
w. J. Court is on deck with splen-
did exhibit of farm products from Orcas
island. He has all kinds of grain and
grasses, vegetables and fruit, which
shows the wonderful fertility of the
soil at that garden spot of the Sound
Orcas island excels her own exhibit of
last year. They have whole boxes of
fruit instead of plates full as heretofore,
and the samples are of a superior quail
itv, clean, we'll formed and in every
way pleasing to the eye. The vegetable
display should be seen to be appreci-
ated.
G. Fl. Williams, of East Sound, has
an individual display of vegetables
squashes, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers,
in fact, all varieties. 1t is very inter-
esting display.
West Sound is ably represented by
w. A. Wakefield, with splendid col
lection of fruits. Mr.. Wakefield has
twenty-eight varieties of apples on ext
bition and they are. beauties. His pears
are exceptionally fine and plate of
rosy-cheeked apples grown in his or
chard are indeed beautiful.
In this collection is plate of nice
smooth, well formed pears, claimed to
be the only variety of the kind in
America. 1t is of Swedish origin and
is known as the Spelier. The exhib-
itor is Mr.. Smedberg, of West Sound.
He sent to Sweden for twig of this
variety and grated it on tree in his
orchard. 1t grew nicely and now he
has scores of scIons from tie original
stock. &r
J. w. Fritz, of West Sound, has
plate of japanese crabapples that are
wonders-large, red, snowy apples of a
quality that is unsurpassed.
The West Sound band makes most
creditable appearance. 1t has, during
this fair, furnished excellent music for
the entertainment OF the great crowds
visiting the grounds, and their fine ap-
pearance is remarked on all Sides.
The band serenaded w. IT, Court,
manager of the Orcas island sexhibits,
at his headquarters in the exhibition
building prior to their departure for
home. - -
orcas island was awarded first prize