The farmer and mechanic., 1912-10-15
Correspondent Praises lvery
County Fair
And Points Out Its Fine nv.
Growing and Other Native
Resources


Avery County Fair. which was hId
last week, the exhibits were i e.Isa
for surprise and amazement Ma
longer would he entertain the Id,,
that the baby county Of the "a, u.xt
is far behind its sister counties #
maturest age.
This fair, the first in the county -
the promotion Of which the lnty
has set an example worthy of cnlIt-
ton by her older sisters. preSeIt,G ia
the visitor unmistable evidence Of Tho
fact that Avery is wet in resources
and needs only development Of theya
natural resources to make h.r A
garden spot. Moreover. this fair vs.
a promise that these resources are
going to be developed-the sielescp-
ment has already begun. Nrr 1s
the people Of this county Void # ..I-
precia ton of the artistic This c.,,t
was in evidence in the exhibit h.ta
The Avery County Fair was net .ra
Of large proportions neither tho
ground nor the hall Is spacious. nor
is there an endless variety Of e13.4tltS.
But even the exhibits In tn. STATE.
Fair do not surPass those heie n
quality.
This is pre-eminent1y q fru. ylcu-
ing county and fortunes aWail thos.
who will adopt scientific mtthra~ III
planting and cultivating and rnlur-
inS the trees-pruning and spraying
and improved commercial methods
Of handling and marketing the apples
and other fruits. Here wus tho
finest display Of apples l ever saw
great, big red apples. measgrlaf
inches and more in circuntfer.G,e
and not blemish to be seen. Su,h
an exhibit was that made * the
Wolf River variety by an e>h,h or
ing apples. The exhibits Of psa,hes
and cabbages, and Irish potatoes we're
| equally 1'emarkable Tr;:Nt lt,s,
through this country one cat $50
everywhere numerous trees sden
with red apples SO heavily th5t TO
branches hang to the ground t1tn
| where no special attention is ej}e, ne
/ trees.
Another remarkable exhlhit Is tfi.t
OF galax, or heart leaves" = 9
called in the East These leaves 4re
! large and of a rich green coIor md
uniform size They are tIt0 II
and shipped north. The pleIl.g
salax, ferns, spray and othe erer-
/ greens from the mountain sides a
great industry with many of The hNtiy
! people. TWenty-fiX million talaX
leaves We're shipped from BaEnv. 4 *
last year.
Ginseng grows we'll in this c,UHtv.
and the quality or exhibit here. MI
cal Of the quality produced IL hN'rE.
| IS now worth seven dollars per II lhd,
and not more than two or three IIalts
are reginned to make pound r
is similar to some variety Of Wafel siy
and grows only in wet places an. II
| the shade, and require five wears To
| mature. but, at the price it brings. to
growing of it should prove p".Is
| industry
The Fastener couldn OF fal Il thi
interest in the exhibit Of cranberry
low phosphate pig iron, WhI'h .
mined in abundance in this county nId
manufactured at Johnson City. ZEN,
and brings, in the rough I IS. tom
three to four dollars per tc, fr.'"
than iron rails. From avery 'v4n
ty iron, the finest tool stee is rl.et,
and the supply is inexhaus; ible- tht :,
are mountains Of this rich ore.
On exhibit is a handsome Dress T,
made OF Avery county wood tt.riy
ash, most beautiful wood for the
manufacture Of furniture.
NO higher development . the
basket makers art is found ,E Nom
carolina than is seen in the varied *
hlblts made by the Lees M kae m
stltute Presbyterian school, Ios;.tfd
at Banner Elk, in this county. which
: mas aiso remarkable exhltt u
paintings made from sight ty he
) students, who also made the ha 81 Il
work.
, The Avery people are enthusiastic
ana proud of their county and tbs
nrst falr marks a new era in the de-
.elopment Of her splendid resources
ANA the county is indebted to Ge"rSe
Rlce. the publisher of the only paper
!, within her borders. for 1t was he that
, nrst advanced the idea Of holding q
: county fair at Elk Park. and i was hf
VINO put the idea into execution.
Avery needs a railroad to ccnDe@'
ner with her own State. one has t
tFaVei about $50 miles through Ten
= hessee to get from Avery to any rthel
part Of North Carolina by rail
Every man declares he likes