small for our accommodation, and efforts have been made to purchase additions thereto, but without success. Last June, however, a favorable offer was received for the old grounds, viz., $200 per acre, and at a special meeting of the board, called to consider the matter, it was determined to sell, and purchase new and more commodious grounds. The sale and transfer was effected, and after a good deal of prospecting and examining of different sites proposed and offered, the board of managers finally selected 214 acres just across the south road south of the old grounds, and about half a mile west of the center of Medina village, for which they paid the sum of $2,200. The new grounds are beautifully located, easily accessible, commodious in arrangement, and a grand improvement in every way over the old. New buildings were erected, a new fence built around the grounds, a fine half-mile track built, and everything put in excellent condition for a successful exhibition. The total cost of the new grounds and improvements was upwards of $5,000. Our exhibition of 1878 was held upon these grounds, September 17th, 18th, and 19th, and was a creditable show in every way. The exhibit of horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs was unusually large, and that of cattle was particularly fine. The poultry department was also well filled. Liberal premiums were offered, and nearly every premium offered was taken. The weather during the fair was charming, and the attendance large. The membership, receipts, and expenses will be found in the report sent to be filled out, and which is returned herewith. We have as yet had no entries for the premiums offered on best field crops, and probably there will be none for 1878. As to the general condition of agriculture in Medina county, I think I may safely say it is flourishing. The farmers are too much in debt as a class, unquestionably, and they consequently feel the low prices of produce and the depressed condition of the times exceedingly, for their interest burdens must be borne, and amount to about the same now as when they received double and treble the prices for produce as at present. Like other classes of people, the farmer did not think but that good times would last always, and so literally failed to make hay while the sun shone, and lay in a good supply for a drouth. The crops of Medina county the past year have been unusually good. In wheat the acreage has been larger than for many years, and the yield far above the average in the history of the county; perhaps it will be safe to say at least 20 or 25 bushels to the acre. Many pieces have yielded 40 bushels and some 50. The price now ranges from 85 to 90 cents in our home markets. Oats have also been a good yield the past year, and find ready sale in our vicinity at 20 and 25 cents per bushel. Corn was a fair average in yield, and just an average in quality. A large breadth was planted, so that there is no scarcity, and the prices range from 45 to 50 cents per bushel for shelled, with an abundance for all demands. The other grains are nominal with us, as we raise but little rye, barley, flax, etc., comparatively speaking. Sorghum was raised more extensively than for several years past, but not as a general crop by any means. The potato crop, which usually amounts to something with us, was almost a total failure this year. They were, in fact, mighty small and but few in a hill. We usually speak of the yield as a failure, although a majority of the farmers raised enough for their own use. The general price here is 75 cents per bushel. Onions a few years since became a very profitable crop, and thousands of bushels were raised in Medina county; but the market became glutted, the crop unprofitable, and it has almost ceased to be cultivated as a field crop. Our yield of grass during the year was splendid; the feed was fine the entire season through, and the hay cut was extra good. Stock did well, and were kept out to grass until about the first of December. Hay was well secured, and is, consequently, bright and in fine order now. Good barn hay is delivered here in Medina village for $8 per ton. Fruits of all kinds were abundant in this locality last fall. Small fruits, in their season, were plentiful and cheap, and the crop of apples was simply enormous. The thing was overdone in fact; Pomona out-did the matter completely. So plentiful were they, that choice winter fruit was bought in any quantity for 20 and 25 cents per bushel, and little sale at that. Other fruits were proportionately plentiful. Our chief production in this county is butter and cheese. The yield in these products has been large, but probably not as great as in some other seasons, for the reasons that low prices and depressed sales have caused many farmers and dairymen to sell off a part of their cows and engage in other departments of agriculture more extensively. Nevertheless the amount of butter and cheese shipped from this county in 1878 will be no insignificant sum. A larger number of hogs have been raised and fattened this year than usual; the low price of pork (about three cents, dressed) causes a general disgust with the business, however. In the matter of poultry raising, there never was the interest in Medina county that there is now. More farmers and others are improving their flocks with choice breeds, and the interest is apparently deepening continually. The wool industry and sheep rearing is still languid, but evidently reviving from the extreme depression of former years. There is more general inquiry for fine animals, both in carcass and wool, and we predict that this interest is on the eve of a much more prosperous era. In all classes of stock the farmers of Medina county are improving the quality and breeds. Our county fair has greatly encouraged this, and our annual exhibition gives an impetus to careful breeding and fine rearing that nothing else would do. It is already proving a source of wealth as well as pleasure to many of our most intelligent agriculturists. The quality of our soil is largely clay, inclined to be cold and wet, but underdraining is being resorted to by many, with profitable returns for money and time invested. Fertilizers are growing in favor, and while we have heretofore robbed the land without replenishing in kind, or any measure in fact, we are now fully awake to the fact that good and carefully applied fertilizing will pay large returns. In conclusion, allow me to state that, upon the whole, we have reason to be hopeful regarding the future of the farming interests of Medina county. We have learned much and improved greatly during the last few years. There is much yet to learn and great chance for improvement, but our people are wide awake and progressive. They are a reaching people, and propose to keep abreast of the times. MEIGS COUNTY. The Meigs County Agricultural Society held its twenty fifth annual fair on the grounds of the society, at Rock Springs, near Pomeroy, September 19th and 20th, 1878. The number of entries was 825, being about an average with former years. The financial condition of the Society is very good, considering the debt we have been carrying. The display in most of the departments was as good, if not better, than usual. The attendance was not as large as expected, owing principally to the fact that we had yellow fever in this locality. The show of horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs was much better than usual. The principal crops raised in this county are wheat, corn, oats, hay, and potatoes; had about an average crop, and of good quality. Have no means by which I can give you amount raised. MERCER COUNTY, The eleventh annual fair of the Mercer County Agricultural Society was held at Celina on the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th days of September, 1878. During the entire year the officers of the Society labored with untiring zeal and energy to make the fair of 1878 a success. The number of entries was 574, being an increase over last year. The financial condition of the Society is good, being clear of debt, and owning twenty acres of ground, being reputed to be as good as any in the State. The crops of all kinds in this county were the largest this year ever raised; the average of the wheat crop was twenty bushels to the acre; the corn crop was thirty bushels to the acre; the apple crop the largest ever raised. Notwithstanding the extreme wet weather the first two days of our fair, it was a success financially and otherwise. There is a gratifying increase in the interest taken in the raising of live stock of all kinds. Horses and cattle of the choicest blood and most careful breeding are to be found in this county; while hogs and sheep of the finest stock are in abundance. Wheat, corn, rye, barley and clover seed is raised here in large quantities. Farmers are using the best agricultural implements, and thereby labor to the best advantage. Vegetables are grown to a great extent, and our hall showed at each fair that our farmers are not neglecting the garden. The household department and floral hall, devoted to the ladies, is each year a good show; filled with the handiwork of the good housewives and fair daughters of the county; and its beautiful pictures, bouquets, wreaths of flowers, coverlets, quilts, blankets, bread, butter, preserves, jellies, etc., show the interest taken by them in our fairs. The future prospects of the Society are good, and all our people are taking a great interest in forwarding its plans and objects. We think the continuation of our fairs will bring the manufacturers, producers, and consumers into close proximity to each other, and is well calculated to promote the interest of the industrial class, increase the prosperity of our county, and eventually secure great good to all. MONROE COUNTY. In conformity with the rules and regulations of the State Board of Agriculture, I herewith present my annual report in regard to the condition of agriculture in Monroe county. The principal crops raised are wheat, rye, oats, corn, tobacco, potatoes, and hay. The potato crop last year was very short, owing to dry weather. We are still troubled some with the potato bug, but it did no damage last year. There was a fair yield of grain, which will compare favorably with former years. Tobacco raising receives more attention than anything else, to the detriment of the soil, be it said, with very little attention being given to fertilizers. In some parts of the county sheep raising is receiving considerable attention. Some of the finest blood Merinos have been purchased, and if I mistake not, you will have a good report from this department in the near future. Our society is still in debt a few hundred dollars, but by the aid of the State fund we will be able to pay about fifty per cent. of the indebtedness. We are now contemplating the purchase of new grounds, which may incur an additional debt. Our people generally take considerable interest in the society, and we think that by good management we can make it more successful than heretofore. We have been paying rent for the last fifteen years, which has been a drawback all the time, and now if we can succeed in buying grounds, and save the rent, we will be in a condition to make our society more of a success financially. MONTGOMERY COUNTY. The principal crops in this county are corn, wheat, and tobacco. The corn crop was largely in excess of previous years, and the average yield about 70 bushels. Wheat yielded remarkably well, being an average of about 20 to 25 bushels to the acre. The tobacco crop was unusually large and of good quality. The season was not remarkable for any peculiarities, and there were no destructive insects, excepting only the potato bug, which did considerable damage, and the fly in the wheat, which, however, did not do much damage. MORGAN COUNTY. The twenty-sixth annual fair of the Morgan County Agricultural Society was held on its grounds near McConnelsville, September 17th, 18th, and 19th. The exhibition, including all the departments, was very fine. There is probably no county in the State where all the industrial and agricultural interests are receiving greater attention at the present time than in Morgan county. Our people are realizing more than ever the necessity of a general interchange or expression of opinion as to the best mode of farming, and the best kinds of stock to introduce, and nowhere can this general information be obtained more profitably than at these annual gatherings. The past season has been unusually favorable for the farming interests. Crops of all kinds have been abundant. The principal crops raised in the county are wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes. It has been a great many years since the wheat crop, both as to quantity and quality, has been as fine as the present harvesting. Some fields of ten and twelve acres have had an average yield of 40 bushels per acre. One crop of 75 acres had an average yield of 33 bushels per acre. Corn, oats, and potatoes were a very fair average yield. Hay crop good, very good; in fact we have had two or three years in succession of a very large yield of hay. Two years ago we thought we should not soon see again such a yield of apples, but the present yield was equal if not larger than two years ago, and very excellent fruit. All the departments were well represented. In other annual reports we have spoken of the enterprise of our farmers in the introduction of fine cattle and sheep, but at no fair held in the county has this fact been more apparent than at the present fair. We can boast of as fine cattle and sheep as are raised in any part of the State. What we have said of cattle and sheep may also be said of hogs. Morgan county is not behind in stock-raising. We have never had a greater or finer display of stock, was a common remark during our fair. We had about twelve hundred entries in all. Of cattle: Shorthorns, 40; other kinds, 25. Horses, including all classes, nearly 200. Sheep and hogs, 125. Poultry, 40. We have heretofore spoken of the introduction of foreign fertilizers and the practical advantages of the same. Our farmers are using these fertilizers more and more from year to year, and as the result, there has been a marked improvement in the yield and the appearance of the grain. MORROW COUNTY. The year 1878 was truly a year of plenty, and this county received its full share of agricultural blessing. The principal crops raised in this county were wheat, corn, oats, hay, and potatoes. Wheat was splendid in quality, and averaged about from 20 to 25 bushels per acre. Corn below an average-about 40 bushels per acre. Oats were generally light, and the yield also 40 bushels. The average yield of hay was from one and a half to two tons per acre. The quantity of potatoes was below an average, the dry-rot, especially in Peachblows, being rather extensive all through the county. A fair estimate (with the help of statistics) of the quantity of wheat raised last year would be about 220,000 bushels, or 60,000 bushels more than the year before. Of corn, about 90,000 bushels; no increase. Oats, 50,000 bushels; no increase. Hay, about 60,000 tons; an increase of 20,000. Potatoes, about 40,000 bushels, a decrease of 45,000 bushels. The season of last year was all that could be wished for; as a proof, the large crops. The fall of '78 was rather wet-hence the damage to potato crop. There was no damage done by insects, and no epidemics among domestic animals. Horses, cattle, swine, and sheep were in splendid condition, especially sheep, on which our farmers spend a great deal of attention. This is the 12th county in the State as to number of sheep; as to quality of wool, it compares most favorably with any county in Ohio. The condition of our county society is improving steadily; the public take a great deal of interest, and we can truly remark that, by the aid of the yearly fairs, great improvements in stock, seed material, and improved implements, are taking place, and there should be nothing wanting to make these fairs a success in every respect, as the benefits derived are of great importance to all classes of society, and they surely outweigh every real or imaginary cause for dissatisfaction, set forth by the constitutional grumblers and fault-finders. MUSKINGUM COUNTY. A remarkable degree of success and prosperity has attended the efforts of the agriculturalist and horticulturalist in Muskingum county since our last report, and the soil has yielded up a plentiful harvest wherever intelligent and industrious effort has been made. The season of 1-78 has exceeded that of 1877 in results, the wheat crop having been unusually large and of excellent quality; the corn production less than an average crop. The hay crop was immense, placing that necessary article at remarkably low fig |