Annual fair, 1886, at Somerville, September 28th, 29th and 30th. Number of stockholders, 600.

This year we were favored with good weather and consequently good attendance. Exhibitions were all that we could expect in each department. An increased interest seems manifested every year.

Our farmers throughout the county nearly all attend, and exchange views on modes of farming, use of fertilizers and the best kinds of grain to raise. Sometimes we hear expressed views on the political situation or candidates. With the best regulated fairs, politicians will sometimes get inside the enclosure, get the ear of the farmer, and thus detract his attention from the legitimate object in view when he came to the fair, viz.: to improve his mode of farming and make it more profitable. And, again, inside the ring, when he thinks he has his entire attention, he is not aware of the fact that the farmer is more interested to see whether the black, the gray, or the bay is coming out ahead in the race, than whether this or that particular candidate is to to be elected.

Some plan must be devised by our agricultural societies to prevent the politicians from monopolizing our farmers during fairs. Why, even at Waverley, on what is called Political Hill, at the President's headquarters, a farmer can scarcely get a foothold to see the contests on the track, every inch of ground being filled with politicians and a slight sprinkling of the fair sex, friends of the politicians, not even wives of farmers.

I suppose it is thought by politicians, and, perhaps, by people af other professions, that a farmer has no use for speed, except a fastwalking horse. They are slightly in error as far as the farmers of Somerset are concerned. They not only admire style and beauty in a horse, but it is found that the roadster class is the most popular one, and when they get on the road towards the county seat they want to get there. It may be a note coming due at the bank, or some other farmer on the road who is attempting to precede him, in which case fast-walking horses don't fill the bill.

These matters are important to the farmer, and whether he is observing the many beautiful show horses inside the ring or the more speedy ones upon the track, he should not be interrupted by the selfish politician and have his mind diverted.

Our Society meets annually in February for election of officers. We have been favored by Prof. Cook for several years, who gives an interesting and instructive lecture on farming. Our court house is usually filled. His subject this year is "The Experiment Station, and How it Can Aid Farmers."

The following is our crop report:

UNION COUNTY.

UNION COUNTY BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

To the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture:

With feelings of friendship towards the State Board and brother farmers of the State, do we write this, our annual letter. One reason, no doubt, for our friendship is (if you will allow a little digression from statistics and practical farming) that we are mutually related to a stylish maiden, whose real worth we appreciate, notwithstanding the outside world sometimes speaks unkindly of her. A little description of her profile will enable you to recognize her at once, for you all know her. The Delaware river outlines the front of this virgin of the sea, Sussex county the forehead, the Blue Mountains the nose, Water Gap the mouth, Phillipsburg the breast, Trenton is the point of the waist, the Pennsylvania Railroad the waistband, South Jersey the overskirt, Cape May the heel of the foot (which has not as yet emerged from Delaware Bay), the small islands that fringe the coast the furbelows behind, Monmouth county and Sandy Hook the bustle, Middlesex and Union the back and shoulders, Essex and Passaic the back of the neck and head, while Bergen and Hudson counties are the hair, the Palisades representing the chignon, and Bergen Point the part loosely falling over the shoulders. Not to go too much into detail, pointing out other resemblances, let us consider that part called

UNION COUNTY.

Union county is about twelve miles square, divided into twelve townships and contains as many growing towns and villages. While not the largest county in the State, it compares favorably with others in healthfulness, productiveness of soil and beauty of landscape. In some other respects it is second to none. It offers a superior home market for all the products of the farm. The grade of the society,