The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-12-05
From Saturdays Daily:

NkfOm SATURDAY Ddlly
| Marion County's Sixth Annual Fair
lis but memory. 1t was pronounced
Iby those in a position to know to
llhave been the best fair we have ever
sshad both in point of attendance and
lin the quantity and quality of the ex-
,lhibits. Good crowds and good wealth
Ter continued with us from the day the
gates were opened until they were
closed The weather conditions were
Il simply idealistic and the fair and all
| lis belongings deserve to become his
toric in our local annals. 1T was
red letter week. From start TO finish
there must have been upwards of
twenty-five thousand people on the
grounds; there was a commingling of
tall classes and conditions of people,
yet so far as we know there was not
a disturbance of any kind, or at least
/ none were reported. Not an intoxi-
Gated person was observed, nor did
| profane word bring blush to the
cheek of anyone The most fastidi-
Gus could but have been pleased The
| department was the subject of very
general comment When it is remem-
bered that ours is wet county, the
conditions that we have described
seem to us as really remarkable
The distribution of the prizes like
wise created no envy, as it was known
that the judges were experts, and
we're mostly strangers, and made up
their decisions purely on the merits
Of the articles on exhibition.
Another pleasing feature of the
fair: There was no friction among
the management. Everything passed
off without a hitch in any direction.
The management was charming. The
exhibitors and the management de-
serve world of praise. They have
performed a service of inestimable
value to the county. They have set
pace that is worthy of emulation
and imitation They deserve to be
decorated from head to foot with
blue ribbons and garlanded with the
choicest and most fragrant flowers.
The fair was indeed so excellent
as to draw forth the following splen-
did compliment from the Tampa
Times:
I'VE expected such an achievement
from Marion county in the line of
county fairs as would surpass any
thing heretofore offered by any other
county in F1orida-or in any other
Ahte, for that matter; and we have
not been disappointed by the fair now
in progress in Ocala. Those who
have seen it report that the exhibits
Of Marion county are the ne plus ul-
ira of agricultural excellence. The
Lord made a happy combination when
he placed the finest people in the
state in the finest county-save one"
AQTtCuiIuTat FIt&C
Perry Edwards, the well known col
ored farmer, who always takes great
interest in our annual fairs, and on
several occasions has captured second
prize, this year captured first prize,
which shows that the judges were no
respecter of persons.
John Hedridge, one of our new COM
ers at Burbank, succeeded in captur-
ing second prize.
To mention all the prize winners
would take up many columns OF our
paper, but we shall in later issues
mention the most notable ones.
Canning Clubs Work and Demonstra-
tons a Big Success
The work done by the girls can
ming clubs of Marion during the past
FEAR, and the demonstrations made at
the Marion County Fair have been a
tremendous success.
The girls of the canning clubs are
helping their parents, to live at
home." That is, they are raising to-
matoes, beans, okra and other vege-
tables, but principally tomatoes. and
canning not only enough of them for
home consumption during the winter
months, but some for sale, as well.
Some of the records made by the
girls on Marion county farms and
also in town this year are surprising
" good.
It is as important to give the farm
er girls a new interest in the farm as
Is to provide new attractions upon
'he farm for the boys. If we keep
The girls on the farm, the saying goes,
the boys will stay there, too. So it is
10 unimportant thing to encourage
The daughters of Florida farmers toI