The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-09
Very GOOD SHOW
Stearns County fair One Of the
Best Ever Held
ALL EXHIBITS FINE
CommendabIe Showing of Agricul'
tural Products and Fruit Sup
piemented By Good Races

The seventh annual fair of the
Agricultural Society of Stearns coun-
ty was held in Sauk Centre last
week. 1t was originally billed for
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,
but as the first two days were rainy,
the directors extended it over to
Saturday.
While the attendance was not so
large as it was last year, yet there
was a good sized crowd on hand
Friday, and a medium sized one on
Saturday. While the receipts were
inadequate to cover all expenditures
yet the race money and the printing
bills were paid, as we'll as some 9TH
e. bills. When the money comes in
from the state, there will be ample
money for all purposes.
In several respects, the fair was
hetter than it has been for several
years. For instance, the display of
grain and vegetables was the largest
that has been seen for some years.
All the stalls under the grandstand
were occupied with exhibits of this
nature. Last year, not over two
thirds of the stalls were taken. Ev-
erything in this line that was exhib-
tied was of the best. Vegetables, es-
pecially, attracted much attention, the
showing being excellent. If there
was anything in the vegetable world
for which premiums had been Of
fered, that was not exhibited, the
public failed to notice its absence.
One exhibit of cucumbers, especially,
attracted much attention. 1t was
made by John Boutell, who grew the
stuff in his garden, and consisted of
half a dozen of the largest and fin
est cucumbers that ever came down
the pike. The largest was foot
O, more in length, and in the exhib-
it was one double cucumber that was
a great curiosity. Mr.. Boutell took
first prize. There were two other ex-
hibits of this vegetable that were
pretty nearly as fine as the first
prize winner. The squashes, pota-
toes, melons and celery were great,
as were the tomatoes. Extra fine
samples of wheat, oats, rye and bar
ley, both in the bag and in the ear,
were on exhibition, while the corn
that was shown, was as good as can
be found anywhere.
In the main building, the fruit ex-
hibited was the best ever shown at
a fair here. WilwerdiLg, the Freeport
nurseryman, was on hand as usual
with enough fruit of various kinds to
cover a long table. This fruit was
of high grade and covered every
thing in the line of apples, grapes,
plums, etc., that can be grown in
Stearns county. Another long table
bore other fine samples of Stearns
county apples and other fruit. These
exhiits attracted much attention and
evoked considerable favorable COM
ment.
The display of culinary products
was as large and as fine as has
ever been seen at fair here. In
the fancy work department, the dis
play was not as large as last year,
but it was of high grade.
In the northwest corner of the
building district number 65, had a
fine display of school work on ex-
hibition. 1t included work of pupils in
different grades of a graded school,
and was creditable and elected much
favorable comment from the specta-
tors.
The live stock exhibit was not
quite up to the average. but was
creditable nevertheless. The poultry
.exhiit was smaller than it was last
year, but most of the crops were fill
ed, affording chanticleer an oppor-
tunity to test his lungs. This, with
the cackling of geese, the quacking Of
ducks and the piping of guinea hens
filled the air with music sweet to the
lovers Of good poultry, and rejoiced
the heart of C. M. Bryant, who had
charge of the exhibit.
+. The races were the best that the
fair association has held here for
three or four years. The horses were
the same as we're entered in the cir
cult, which includes several other
counties in this part of the state, and
all were good travellers The races