MnCov-,,1 ,
INDIANA
MER.
Devoted to Agriculture) Horticulture, mCcclianics and tlic  Useful Arts.
D. P. Holloway, W. T. Dennis,
R. X. Reed.—Editors.
RICHMOND, NOV'R 1, 1854.
(Holloway & Co.,
j    Vol. IV....
Publishers.
..No. 1.
State Fair.—We notice a disposition upon the
part of some of our cotemporaries to put down
the late State Fair held at Madison, as a' failure.
Common justice demands that they should state
the cause of this failure. The first two days of
the Fair—the time when exhibitors from different portions of the State were making preparations to start to the Fair—were extremely unpleasant from heavy rains. Many persons from
this county, who expected to be visitors and exhibitors, declined going on account of the unfavorable weather. The receipts, however, will
more than pay all the expenses. Had the Fair
been held at any other point in the State, under
similar circumstances, it would have been equally a failure. The next Fair, in all probability,
will be held at Indianapolis, provided the citizens
of that city will act with any kind of liberality.
Twenty-five Silver Cups were awarded to citizens of Wayne county.
A Silver Medal—Ohio State Fair.—Mr.
S. C. Mendenhall, of this city, inventor and patentee of the Bagging Loom for weaving Seamless Bags, was awarded a silver medal at the
Ohio State Fair. The following is the report of
the committee in reference to it:
"A Hand Loom for weaving Seamless Bags,
was an object of much interest and importance.
While we commend its great beauty and ingenuity, we feel compelled to award a liberal premium
to it, and would respectfully urge that a Silver
Medal be awarded, No. 166, for Hand Loom for
weaving Seamless Bags.
H. L. Babbitt,
D. M. Ciiilds,
J. T. Garrard,
Committee.
Tor the Indiana Farmer.
Anderson, Ia., Oct. 4th, 1854.
Messrs. Editors:—Having never as yet written
any thing for the Indiana Farmer, I deem it not
out of place to say to the patrons and readers of
the Farmer some few things in reference to us
Hoosier farmers, and our first County Fair in this
(Madison) county, which was held at this place
last Thursday and Friday, tho 28th and 2&th of
September. They were two very beautiful and
pleasant days. Previously it had been very warm,
but tho evening previous to tho Fair days it become cooler, and it was quite agreeable. Well,
to be as short as I can and give you a proper detailed and minute account, would be taxing my
time and paper, and you and your readers pa
tience with too much. But I would just say that
last spring a few of us farmers and mechanics
got it into our noggins that we were not always
going to be behind other counties in every thing,
so we set to work and organized an Agricultural
Society. The grounds were prepared and fitted
Up in the best of stylo by our deservedly popular
and enterprising President, Samuel Myers, Esq.;
one of our most enterprising farmers.
Well, the time came for 'the' Fair, and on
Wednesday come in somo of the "living" stock;
and early on Thursday and Friday morning came
the great multitude en mass, from every part of
the country, in waggons, carriages, buggies, horse
back, on foot, by railroad, &c.—bringing their
wives, their sons and daughters, and their "little
ones," to enjoy all the pleasures of the day, and
mingling and interchanging friendly intercourse,
and forming new associations.
Messrs. Pittsford & Stanley had a lot of fine
sheep; E. Williamson & Sons had far the best lot
hogs I have seen lately; Messrs. Pendleton &
Bell's stallions were noble looking animals. It
was believed by the very best and most competent judges, that they never had seen so fine a lot
of horses, from first to last, as we had. Now the
cattle—Messrs. Walker, Beckwith and Rether-
ford led off in the cattle business. The cattle
were good, but not a great many of them.
The mechanical display was but light. Messrs.
Free & Co., had a very fine mahogany bureau.
There were only two plows; no mowing or thrashing machines nor cultivators. We are quite behind in such things. We think by next year we
will not bo so far behind. No wagons nor carriages were exhibited at the Fair. Well, there is
the Ladies' department; it would make those
Quaker eyes of yours water to have seen it. All
kinds of needle work, etc., tastefully arranged.—
I should like to speak of all their fine arts, but
they must pardon me for the omission of the bear
mentioning of them. Owing to the peculiar dry
season, our vegetables were few in number. Wo
had a very good specimens of wheat, corn and
barley, and some of the largest sweet potatoes
and beets I ever saw in any country. Well take
it all over, up one side and down the other, it was
a good Fair—a rich treat—one that will do the
farmers and mechanics good. It very far exceeds
our most sanguine expectations, as it was our first,
and we were somewhat green and unexperienced
in such things; yet we then and there resolved to
try to excel next year. We are a kind of experimenting fellows. We think by next year we
shall have a much more splendid County Fair.
Yours, truly,
J. R. HOLSTON,
A Man may be great by chance,  but never
nor good without pains for it.
wise