The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-11
Bad Weather Spoils Most Promising Expo
sition Ever Attempted in County,
LARGE CROWDS WERE PRESENT
Exhibits Many and Of High Order-Long String of Fast
Horses Entered for Different Events
New Track Record.

a few braved the mud and it's attend
ant inconvenience and went.
Pleasing Displays.
AS in former years, those having
charge of the exhibits in floral and
agricultural hall presented some de-
cidedly artistic effects in the display
of grains, vegetables, fruits, grasses
and the other produce OF the farm and
garden.
Charles l. Gardner, who is superin-
tendent of the agricultural exhibits,
in the arrangement of his department
showed himself to be possessed OF the
artists conception of the beautiful and
we'll deserved all the praise that could
be heard OF his excellent work. He
calls his department the Alfalfa Pal
ace" The circular arrangement of
shelves in the center of the hall, where
the principal portion of the display is
made, has been utilized as in former
years. The top of the cone-like struc-
ture formed by the supporting posts
Of the center is covered on the sides
with curtains woven from grains and
grasses indigenous to Yellowstone
county. Each is different and all are
truly beautiful and rare examples OF
what may be wrought from the crudest
and least promising materials, II only
the necessary skill, time and patience
are possessed. One curtain was made
entirely of timothy, another from blue
ioint. another from clover, still an
other from millet one from wheat,
one from oats, one from red top and
one from corn stalks. A liberal dis
play of sage and greaseWoOd, the nat-
ural products of the soil before the
magic touches of cultivation and irri-
cation had reclaimed the native Wild
ness of the valley and compelled 1t to
produce the fruits of husbandry, is
mute testimony to the change wrought
in few years.
a hint of future source OF wealth
to the farmer of the Yellowstone is
given in the panel of sugar beets,
very appropriately labeled "a Future
Industry
On the terraced shelves are exhib.
tied the growths of the garden and
field. Here are tomatoes, beets, beans,
peas, melons, onions, squashes, pota-
toes, radishes, celery, pumpkins, and
the endless other kinds of vegetables
that can be heared with such excellent
success, both as to quantity and quail
ity. in the valley of the Yellowstone.
Banked at the foot are sacks of wheat
and other cereals, bundles OF grain IN
| the straw and corn on the ear and
stalk, not omitting alfalfa, one of the
real sources of the valleys greatness
and fame.
Surmounting all is a display of wool,
the great staple of eastern Montana.
On the very crest stands a mounted
mountain sheep surrounded by ban
ners bearing striking and apt legends.
One in particular hits some OF the
more enterprising men who gaze at
the various inscriptions as being es-
pecially pointed and timely. Wanted
IA Woolen Mill. Apply to Billings"
| is the little hint it gives to the less
progressive of the community AS a
fit companion is another which con-
yeys the information that Billings is
the largest wool market of the world
and makes good with the figures
.sThis years output of the product,
| IL, 100000 pounds" is the concluding
part Of the sentence.
In the Way of Fruit.
| On the south side of the hall and
Immediately to the left OF the en-
/ trance are the tables given over to
! the displays of fruit. They are un'
| doubtedly the finest and most com
plete ever shown in the city. Carbon
county vies with Yellowstone and it
/ would be hard to say which makes
the more creditable exhibit. Apples