An addition of thirty-one (31) new stalls was added to the grounds this year, making in all 117, and yet we had not enough to accommodate all the stock on exhibition.

The driving ring was greatly improved and a new feature added this year, in the way of trotting and pacing matches, in which there was considerable interest.

The attendance was very large. The Society is in a prosperous and healthy condition, with fair prospects for the future, its usefulness being apparent to all.

The following is a statement of the principal crops raised in the county for the year 1866, as compiled from the Auditor's books.*

The wheat crop was very light, owing to the fact that most of it was winter-killed. The early part of the season was quite dry, and the latter part was unusually wet, a great amount of rain falling, probably to the injury of some of the crops. The potato crop was very good, but they have been affected by decay since being dug, to a serious extent.

MORROW COUNTY.

The Society has purchased 22 acres of land adjoining Mt. Gilead, and built a fence of pine boards around the whole; built near 2,000 stalls,t many of them entirely enclosed; made a good half-mile track; built a new hall and ticket office; had four wells sunk. All of said improvements will compare very favorably with any in the country. Whetstone creek adjoining and running the entire length of said grounds; also, moved old buildings on from the old Fair grounds. The last Fair was held four days; proceeds from the same amounting to about $2,300.

The interest the Society has manifested has been the means of exerting a great influence over the county at large in agriculture, horticulture, mechanism, the improvement in the different kinds of stock, &c. We are stimulating our neighbors from other counties to action by holding out inducements for them to visit us.

The principal crops are corn, oats, hay and fruit, particularly apples. We export annually a favorable proportion of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. We are beginning to make our mark in the raising and manufacturing of the sugar-cane.

The past season has been very injurious on the wheat crop, being winter-killed, leaving the crop very light, many fields not paying to harvest. The prospect for potatoes was good, but the wet Fall made nearly a clean sweep - somewhat troubled with the fly in wheat, and striped bugs in potatoes.

We cannot boast much of minerals yet, but we have good land, stone quarries, plenty of first rate timber and water, and the best of all, a good society in community.

MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

The past season has been one of painful experience to many of our agriculturists. The wheat crop on which so many and so much depended was nearly a total failure. Never, perhaps, have our farmers realized so little from the amount of seed sown and from the labor expended in the preparation of the ground and in the sowing of the seed. Many did not realize the seed sown and many more made no attempt to gather the few solitary heads which stood upon their fields. Not only has it been of painful experience to the wheat grower, but those who invested their labor and means in the endeavor to

* These crop returns are for 1865, collected by the assessors in the spring of 1866. See editorial note of Lorain county.

Is there not some mistake about this?

KLIPPART.

grow potatoes also realized much disappointment, as that singular disease, the rot, affected many fields to a fearful extent.

With those exceptions the season has been one of ordinary fruitfulness, and some of the crops have been rarely excelled. Fruit, especially apples, was very fine in quality and very liberal in quantity.

The product of the meadow was much less in quantity but superior in quality to the season of 1865. Corn, buckwheat, oats, rye and barley were produced in their usual abundance. Sorghum is fast becoming a permanent "institution."

Our Fair displayed a large number of fine cattle, sheep and horses. The exhibition of swine, poultry, and of the labors of the mechanic, was much less than it ought to have been; nevertheless, the display of mechanical skill was superior to that of last year.

Some very fine specimens of Cashmere goats were on exhibition and elicited much attention and admiration. It is to be hoped that they will also become a permanent "institution." The ladies, as usual, had a fine display of their handiwork, while our horticulturists brought their fine specimens of the floral world. These two departments received much attention, and the commendations were many and strong.

NOBLE COUNTY.

The 14th annual Fair of Noble county was held upon the Society grounds at Sarahville. This season has been to this county a very singular one. The wheat crop was almost an entire failure. As to corn, there was a large area planted, and it is thought there is a better yield per acre than ever before; a fine crop of oats, but not so much sown as has been, but yielded well; tobacco, at least an average crop; a full crop of potatoes, but most of them rotted; the crop of sorghum not quite so full as last year; full average crop of hay; pumpkins, squashes, turnips, and all the small crops, such as grown in gardens, was very abundant. On all high lands the apple crop was very fine; no peaches; no plums; plenty of cherries for all domestic wants. The exhibition of stock was very full, larger than ever before, and generally of an improved character; cattle, horses, horned cattle and hogs, all of which, in appearance, go to say that the farmers of Noble county are fully alive to the improvement of their stock and farms. The Society now numbers 270 members, and promises to be generally useful and it is expected by its friends to increase in numbers and usefulness.

The attendance by the public generally was more than was expected, and largely exceeded any previous year.

PICKAWAY COUNTY.

The county of Pickaway contains an area of 311,741 acres of land, valued at $110,140,404 exclusive of land in towns, and for 1866 returns a chattel valuation of $5,269,393. In quality of soil, per cent. of waste lands, and general agricultural advantages, Pickaway county enjoys a position second to no other county in this State. The Ohio Canal divides the county near the middle in a north and south direction, and the C. & Z. Railroad east and west. The assessors' returns of the number and valuation of live stock, for the year 1866, shows 10,685 horses, valued at $710,352; cattle, 23,357, valued at $685,476; sheep, 46,094, valued at $129,435; hogs, 53,328, valued at $249,425. Cattle show a decrease in number as compared with the return of 1865 of 9,654, and a decrease in valuation of $175,759. Very little attention has been paid to the rearing of sheep

until within the last five years; the total increase from last year is about 3,000. Hogs show an increase in number of about 6,000, and $53,000 in valuation. The county is at present immensely supplied with young stock. Hog cholera and hog diseases generally are more prevalent than in former years.

The cereal crops of this county for 1866 were light, with the exception of corn, compared with the preceding five years. The wheat crop was the most complete failure ever known in the county, both in quantity and quality: the oat crop was good; but little rye and barley is raised; corn, which is our principal crop, is generally fed to cattle and hogs. There are no distilleries which consume any large quantity of grain in this county. Sorghum is almost universally cultivated in a small way and manufac tured into syrup solely for domestic use.

The spring and early part of the summer of 1866 were very favorable to all kinds of agriculture. The latter part of the summer and fall were especially wet. Floods, exceeding in hight and destructiveness any ever known or traditionary, laid waste all the crops in our bottom lands.

The only insects destructive to crops in this county this year, worthy of note, was a species of potato bug, of a dark brown color, with longitudinal white stripes on the back and wings, more resembling the wasp in length and shape than the 10-lined spear" man described by Walsh. They were very numerous, and completely stripped in some fields every leaf on the vines. They are migratory, and can be driven out of fields by whipping the ground and vines. The ravages of these insects and the wet weather in the fall, it is believed, were the cause of the nearly total loss of our potato crop by rot. The Pickaway County Agricultural Society is in a prosperous condition, and an "established institution" of the county. The fifteenth annual Fair of the Society was held at Circleville. Competition was opened to all adjoining counties, making our Fair a county and district Fair combined. Many of the counties responded. Our number of substantial entries were the largest and the Fair the most numerously attended and successful of any ever held in the county. Paid cash premiums, $1,886.

PORTAGE COUNTY.

The twenty-first annual Fair of the Portage County Agricultural Society was appointed on the 19th, 20th and 21st days of September, but on account of the very heavy rains for several days before and on the first day of the Fair, it was thought advisable to postpone until October.

The weather was not very favorable the first two days, but on the last day was very fine. Under the circumstances the Fair was a success.

The Board consider the last Fair much superior to the fairs of 1864-5, and feel much encouraged. The Board has no report to make on field crops, as they are not acted upon until the January meeting. The entries in dairy products were unaccountably small, as butter and cheese have been considered two of the staple products of the county. The soil of the county is adapted to most all branches of husbandry.

The apple crop the past season was very large. Eighty per cent. of the premiums were paid.

PREBLE COUNTY.

The Board of Managers of the Preble County Agricultural Society early in the season resolved to procure larger and more convenient ground on which to hold our annua

Fairs, and with us resolve means to do! At our solicitation the commissioners of Pre ble county very generously purchased a beautiful lot of land, adjoining the corporation of the town of Eaton, containing thirty-five acres, about one-half of which is cleared land, the remaining half covered with a beautiful grove of native forest trees, which tract of land was leased by the commissioners to the Agricultural Society so long as they occupy the same for the purpose of holding annual agricultural Fairs. The managers of the Society early in the season went vigorously to work and inclosed the whole tract of land in a substantial tight fence, seven feet high, graded a training track onehalf mile long, which is the admiration of fast horsemen from all the country round. We have good stabling for one hundred and twenty-five horses; covered sheds in abundance for cattle, hogs and sheep; have a good supply of water on the ground for both man and beast. On our ground is a comfortable dwelling house, which brings a good yearly rent, requiring the renter to take special care of our fixtures and prevent the depredations of bad boys.

The shedding was brought from our old grouds and set up on the new, with which we had to be content the past season. It is not what it should be, and we hope the coming summer to build a good Floral and Domestic Hall, which we think will render our grounds equal to those of any county Society in the State. We had determined to hold our annual Fair on the last week in September, but on account of the unusually heavy rains that commenced to fall on the first of September and continued through October, with a desire to avoid conflicting with the fairs of adjoining counties and the State Fair at Dayton, compelled us to defer our Fair until the 23d of October, at which time we commenced and continued our Fair the full term of five wet, cold days, and notwithstanding all discouragements, our Fair was a good, and financially a successful one, as our treasurer's report will show.

We think our Fairs are having a good influence on the agriculture of our county-improving the cultivation of the soil, and improving breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, with improved farm implements. In summing up the whole matter, the Board feel encouraged to renewed efforts.

The principal crops of our county are wheat, corn, oats and flax seed. Wheat gave a poor yield per acre, but of excellent quality of grain; corn a good yield in quantity, but of poor quality, on account of the heavy rains in the fall; oats, good yield, quality good; flax seed good, yield good

RICHLAND COUNTY.

No statement of competitors for premiums on crops or other improvements in agricul ture. The Society is gradually gaining strength as well as credit throughout the county. This year it made a gain financially. No statement of crops can be given. All kinds of produce, stock, articles of manufacture, were on exhibition, which shows an interest taken in same.

SANDUSKY COUNTY.

The Sandusky County Agricultural Society has been particularly unfortunate the past year. Our gronuds have been completely flooded three different times. The first flood was in February, when the grounds were covered several feet deep with cakes of ice, drift wood, etc., taking off nearly all the fence, and doing other injury. The second was in September, just before the week set for the Fair, which was to have been on the 19th, 20th and 21st. This time our new fences were washed away, together with lum

ber, etc. The Fair was then postponed to the 3d, 4th and 5th days of October. But again our grounds were flooded so that on the day appointed for the Fair, the buildings could only be reached by going in boats, after which the officers concluded that it would be so late before we could again get ready, that they reluctantly abandoned the Fair for this year. Previous to the final postponement, the prospects for a splendid Fair were good. The farmers and mechanics were making arrangements for a good display of articles in their different departments.

Crops in our county were tolerably good the past year, with the exception of wheat, which was almost a failure.

SENECA COUNTY.

The Seneca County Agricultural Society reorganized under a new constitution one year ago, and is now on a permanent footing. We have purchased twenty-four acres near the Heidelberg College grounds, at an expense of $4,000, enclosed the grounds with a new and substantial fence, fitted up new and commodious halls and other necessary fixtures. Our Fair was held on the new ground, and was the most successful of any we ever held. The proceeds amounted to $2,200, $1,500 of which were paid out for premiums.

In order to raise a fund sufficient to pay for our grounds, we adopted a plan for life memberships, which we sold, in certificates, at $10, and thereby raised the sum of $3,000.

At our last fair no entries were made for crops, no premiums having been awarded for the reason that our wheat crop was a partial failure. The corn crop was large, but the inclemency of the weather hindered the gathering, and even at this time a large quantity remains in the fields unhusked.

SHELBY COUNTY.

After two postponements on account of unfavorable weather, our Fair was held October 24, 25 and 26. Considering the time of year, it was a partial success. Amount of premiums paid, $602. The wheat crop was almost a failure. Oats and corn, heavy. Hay, a fair crop, but much damaged by rain. Buckwheat and flax, a heavy yield. A large crop of rotten potatoes.

STARK COUNTY.

The Seventeenth Annual Exhibition of the Stark County Agricultural Society was held at their fair grounds adjoining the city of Canton. The weather, the first and second days of the Fair, was decidedly unfavorable, raining most of the time. As a consequence, the attendance, particularly from the more distant parts of the county, was slim. The same cause operated in preventing an exhibition of stock. The weather was more favorable the last two days, and the turn out more encouraging.

There was erected, upon the ground, during the past summer, a magnificent hall, at an expense of about $6,400. The center is an octagonal, eighty feet in diameter, surmounted with a dome ninety feet high. Wings extend north and south, fifty-six feet long by twenty-two feet wide, each having recesses and a dome. In capacity and architectural beauty, it excels anything of the kind in the State. The internal arrangement for the exhibition and display of articles excited very general commendation.