The State Fair

The thirty-first annual fair of the State Agricultural Society began on the fair grounds at Detroit Monday morning of last week. The morning was fair and there was every prospect a most auspicious opening, butby noon the weather was threatening and the n m'ier in attendance was not large. Exïiibitors wore busy getting their tutieles upon the grounds and in position and the day was one of preparatíon and confusión. To add to the dis■ of all present, the soft clay mff 's n tvie toacnifeed TasLj ougK soaked by the recent raina and locoinotion wasdirïicuH. For hiavily loaded wagons the streets soon beene wel! nlgh impassable. Tuesday set in fair but.ended in cold and drizzling showörs, and the attendance thougli good was far belovv what had been expected. The grand army of hackdrivers, hucksters, booth owners and oLlieis who had counted on reaping a rich harvest off visitora, showed visible signs of disgust. Wednesday was a (leiightful day and thegreat show began in earnest. THE ENTUIKS. The entries of live stock closed September 9, of poultry, machinery and farm implements September 11, and all other articles September 10. The total number of entries and their classifleation were reported to the executive coinmittee Tuesday evening as follows: Cattle (700 animáis) 485 Horses (775 animáis) 566 Sneeu (U00 animáis) 291 Swine ("800 animáis) 150 Ponltry (800 birds) 385 Grrain and vegetables 729 Board oí Tradc entries 58 Vehiclcs 114 Machinery 246 Misceilaneus X17 Children's department 54 Farm implements 550 THE LIVK STOCK DEPARTMENT. The entries in the live stock department are somewhat lessthan last year, whereas they should be greater. This falling off in what must always be the leading feature in Michigan fairs is attributable to a rule adopted by the Exeoutive Committee last winter," that 'all animáis except those entered for ïerd premiums, must be owned in this State."' The ostensible object of this was to rule out a certain class of "professional exhibitors" who travel from State to State, and fair to fair, carryïng off premiums on their fancy stock, whicU should go to more deserving horses and cattle raised in the States wheï Mc "-'■■■ '" '--ij ■" -v.n „f_ ieui of the rule is, oi course, to exclude all stoek, however meritorious, which bas the misfortunë to belong in Ohio, Indiana, Canada or anywhere, except on the sacred soil of Michigan. As usual, by farthe larger portion of the cattle exhibited were Shorthorns Of these, Mr. D. S. Holcomb, of Jackson.exhibed 13; Wm. Ball, of Hamburg, 12 ; P. E. White, of Northville, 11; Phelps Brothers, of Dexter, 16; James Moore, of Milford, 11 ; and others, smaller herds and single bulls and cows, many of them having a State reputation and all fine specimens of their class. Among other breeds deserving of special niention is the herd of Holsteins owneü and entered byMi P. J3. Biehardson, of Tuscola. Two o these belong to the herd imported direc from Holland to East Saginaw las spring by the Ilon. James Birney United States Minister at the llague The exhibition of horses was good that of sheep very good, and that of swine not so large as last year. The prtacipal exhibitors of hogs were Mr William Smitli, of Detroit, and Mr. 1Í H. Hnngerford, of Concord. The cavalcade on Tuesday evening was as plessailt an ilïair as the rain and mud wonld permit. The proceaaion fllled the circuit and something more. A noticeable feature was the line yoke ot steers, aged, respectively, four years, tluee, two and one, entered by Mr. A. F. Wood, of Mason. The display of poultry waa large and varied, and very creditable to the exhibitors, among whom Messrs. Curtís, Clark & Co., of Mouroe, Gay & Holton, of Detroit, W, A. Holcomb, of Francisco, and other well-known poultrymen. AGMOUXTUBAL IMILEMENTS. Several acres on the northwestein part of the grounds were devoted to the usual exhibition of farm ïntchinery and iniplements, and the flying windmills and noisy separators gave this corner an animated appearance. Among the exhibitors of plows were ihöiï.-ni-rence & btíapin oí Bala? mszoo, the Uliver company or South Bend, Ind., E. IJement & Sons of Lansing, A. L. Chubb of Grand llapids and Woodford & Niles of Detroit. The Robbins Cultivator Company of Jaekson exhibited 10 of their machines while the Detroit locomotive works had a large square tent fllled with Michigan reapers, and along the lines of shafting were all manner of laborsaving contrivances, of which anything like a detailed description is impracticable. POMOLOGICAL HALL. As usual the accomodations made for the State Pomological Society's exhibit were quite inadequate, many rare and delicate articles remaining packed in boxes until shelves could be put up for them after the fair opened, and even then were often inconveniently crowded together. Had the wing to the building been extended twice as long, the space could have been advantageously used. The numberof entries was about 300 more than last y r ; and the display as a whole ereditable to the fruit growers and fruit interests of Michigan. Note-worbhy exhibits of apples were those of Mr. II. E. Bidwell, of Plymouth, Mr. H VV. Dewey and Mr. H. F. Thomas, of Jackson, while the flnest display of rapes was undoubtedly that of Mr. W. u. Sterling, of Monroe, who put his jrapes in the most attractive shape, iltemating colors upon a wire framesvork, which stood in front of a winlow and as seen by transmitted light, ;he effect was very fie. Mr, J. M. Hill, of Ann Arbor, Mr. F. M. Benham, )f Olivet, Mr. F. J. Shirts, of Oceana Sir. Lyman Kelly, of Allegan, and the Jrand River Valley Ilorticultural So:iety and South Haven Tomological ;ogether made an exhibition of peaches ht waB admirable forits extent, eral excellence and great variety. The display of house-plants, cut flowers, etc., has seldom been surpassed in this State. NORTHEKN MICHIGAN. The building for the exhibition of the farm products of the new counties wis a novel feature of the fair and deserves a much more extended description than we can now give it. The exhibits were arranged by counties and the array of monstrous roots, fruits and vegetables which the new and fertile soil of the north produced for thia occasion, was simply amazmg. Samples of the grain grown up there were exhibited in bundies of stalks and also threshed, cleaned and arranged in pails and glass jars. The extraordinarily bright and plump berries of wheat were greatly admired by all viaUors, and the cards stating where and by whom each sample was grown, the yield per aere, etc., were seannctí ■ftïft1rv The largest reportert yield of wnedC w;ts ui.,1, i,rj.. o.i.-.()iir iiao-lii, of Portsmoutb.Bay county, who rafseC acres! oííeo?"?. the acre. EXHIBITION HALL. The general arrangement of exulbits in the Main Building was nearly tJie same as last year. The increased space enabled exhibitors to display their wares tobetter effect, and the removal of tables from the aisles and the smaller crowd in attendance, enabled visitols to move about with greater comfort. The entries in the art department were more nmnerovis than last year, and under the direction and good taste of Mr. A. J. Brow, who has had practical charge of it for years, the art gallery was perhapa the most admired and enjoyable feature of the fair. The display of manufacturad goods mostly by Detroit íirms, and the exhibits in the women's and children's departments, also largely contributed by residents of the city." were numerous and very creditable" to the exhibitors. So also were the articles exhibited in Agricultural Hall. THE ELECTION. The election occurred Thursday and resulted in the choice of the following: President- Geo. W. Phillips, Romeo. Seoretary- II. P. Johnstone, Detroit. Treasurer- A. J. Dean, Adrián. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEK FOB TWO TBAB8. Abel Angel, Bradley, Allegan Co. D. W. Howard, Pentwater, Oceana Co. H. O. Hanford, Plymouth, Wayne Co. F. M. Manning, Albion, Calhoun Co. A. F. Wood, Mason, Inghnm Co. F. V. Bmith, Goldwater, Branch Co. C. A. Harrison, Paw Paw, Van Buren Co. J. Q. A. Burrington, Vassar, Tuscola Co. John McKay, Cheboygan, Cheboygan Co. John Gilbert, Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co. DISTINGUISHED VISITOKS. Thursday was to have b?en the grand day of the fair and especial preparations liad been made for a jam of unprecedented proportions, but the heavy rains of Wednesday night,which made the grounds and unpaved streets almost impassable, andaculd, drizzling ram Xüxiisccsj uixxuin uim ;..iri water on the whole affair, and the crowd was not so extraordinarily large ifter all. President Hayes and party consisting of Mrs. Hayes, Webb Hayes, and llutherford B. Hayes, jr., Gen W. T. Sherman, Col. Audenreid and two aids, arrived by the steamer Northwest at 8 in the morning. and were given a formal reception at tiie residence of ex-Governor Bahvin on Fort street west. Thence they were driven in carriages to the fair grounds, where they arrived about noon, and where the President delivered a short address. He was escorted through the streets by the military companies, headed by the Tenth Infantry Band from the fort. The city was gaily deeorated with flags, many places of business slosed, the citizens generally taking a holiday. THE KECEIPTS. Thurstlay aftemoon and Friday the weather was fine and the attendance quite large both days. The receipta at the gates eaeh day were as iollows : Monday $ 175 50 Tuesday +. 1)928 50 Wednesday 5673 75 Tburoday 12,499 25 Friday 6,C4. Í5 Total #26,325 45 The aggregate gate receipts lastyear were $:;3,761 15, or $7,435 70 laiger thun the above figures. ï he fair closed Eriday evening, and Saturday nearly all the goods were removed and the grounds deserted.