fully made up by the increase in quality. The Spanish or American Merino compose, by far, the large portion of the sheep of the county, yet there is a fair sprinkling of the combing wool or mutton breeds.

The exhibition of swine at our last fair was, by far, the best ever held in the county, showing that our farmers take a lively interest in the production of the improved breeds of swine, including Poland-China, Berkshire, and the important Chester Whites-showing very fine specimens of the different breeds. There has not been any infectious or contagions diseases prevailing among the domestic animals of the county the past year, except chicken cholera, which is quite prevalent in most parts of the county, and no certain cure known, yet at our last fair all the leading or popular breeds of fowls were exhibited, from the beautiful little Seabright Bantam to the large Asiatics.

The large exhibition of improved machinery and farming implements exhibited at our last fair, was a good index of the intelligence and improvement of the farmers and mechanics of the county.

Fine art hall was a place of great attraction, which was filled to overflowing with the handiwork of the many fair ladies whose intelligence, perseverance, and skill deserve great credit in making so successful an exhibition.

Floral hall gave unmistakable evidence that floriculture, which is a sure index of advanced civilization, has a prominent place in the cultivated minds and fine taste of the ladies and gentlemen under whose fostering care such a great variety of beautiful and rare shrubs, vines, plants, and flowers were produced. Too much praise can not be bestowed upon them for their labor and skill in their arrangement in the hall, which was the admiration of all visitors at the fair.

Of farm products, there was a fine display, as well as all kinds of garden vegetables. There was a lively competition for the premiums upon all articles for which a premium was offered.

The general condition of agriculture in the county is improving. The farmers are taking more pains in the cultivation of the soil, by underdraining, manuring, and a more thorough system in the relation of crops. The only discouragement to farmers is the dull times, caused by the low prices prevailing for all kinds of farm products.

LAKE COUNTY.

The principal crops grown in this county are, wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes. Of these, wheat is a larger yield than usual, and of excellent quality. I think a fair estimate is twenty (20) bushels per acre, when ordinarily twelve to fifteen bushels is considered a fair yield. The Hessian fly injured some fields, but not very materially. Corn, a fair average yield, but considerable soft corn. Oats, a good yield and of good quality. Potatoes, not half a crop, and rotting badly. The Colorado beetle has been very troublesome, but persistent fighting has prevented a total destruction in all cases, so far as I have heard. In fruit, apples are very abundant, and some of very fine large growth and excellent quality; but the crop is largely injured by worms; not keeping well. Peaches were a light crop, and generally very poor in quality; a few fine ones. The cabbage worm has been troublesome, but not so much so as last year. Quite an average number of acres of wheat have been sown this fall. There is some complaint of the fly being already at work, and fears are entertained of damage to the crop next year. The season has been remarkable for no one thing in particular; quite a severe drouth, but not as damaging as some seasons; on the whole, quite favorable. Our county fair, held on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of September was well attended. Eight hundred and ninety

five entries were made. The weather was fine, and the show of horses fair; of cattle, never excelled; sheep and hogs, unusually good; of vegetables, not so large as usual, owing, in great measure, to the early time in the season. The show of fruit, especially apples, was exceedingly good. In agricultural implements, domestic manufactures, fancy goods, etc., a fair exhibit; and on the whole our fair must be considered a success. It was so financially. There seems to be a growing interest among our farmers to labor to keep up the interest in not only our fair, but in agriculture generally; and such being the case, it certainly looks encouraging for the state of agriculture in the county of Lake.

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

1. Corn, 25 bushels on hill and 40 on bottom land. 2. Wheat, 8 bushels on hill and 40 on bottom land. 3. Hay, 1 ton on hill and 2 on bottom land. 4. Apples, 40 bushels on hill and 30 on bottom land. 5. Potatoes, 100 bushels early, 40 bushels late. Our county also produces considerable oats, sorghum, barley, beans, and vegetables; for quantities of these will be under the necessity of referring you to the statistics gathered yearly by the assessors.

The season has been one very seasonable in some localities, and very dry in others, a very short distance only, separating the regions of rain and drouth; and while some parts of our county brought forth abundantly, other parts brought forth sparingly, making us a very low average, as above.

Our farmers complain of worms, both in the growing corn and in the green ears, which they attribute to unnecessary destruction of birds.

The potato bug has not bothered us much this year, confining their attention mostly to the sand-briers, which they are exterminating (a good thing).

Our farmers are showing marked improvement in cattle, sheep, hogs, and mules, and are turning their attention largely to their production instead of corn, so generally raised when the iron interests where predominant.

We also make a more general use of boards and wires in fencing, and but little inclination to invest in hedges.

Farm buildings are generally of a better class than formerly built, and so are the roads now being constructed. We also believe that a better class of implements are being used; also better wagons and nicer modes of conveyance.

The present season, a few of our farmers are using fertilizers on their wheat, but it is too early to know the result.

Our fair, we think, exceeded all our former ones in the show of stock and products, and, considering the depressed condition of our iron industries, and the yellow fever scourge along the river, our receipts were gratifying to the managers,

LICKING COUNTY.

The fair of 1878 was a success, financially and in point of exhibition. The exhibition was, in many respects, far ahead of former years, the entries in all the departments, excepting cattle, being larger than at any previous fair. Although the number of entries in the cattle department were not so numerous as at some former fairs, the animals exhibited were among the finest in the State.

In agricultural hall, especially, our farmers seemed determined to make the display first-class. The exhibition of small grains was good.

The vegetables exhibited were fine and well matured, and the reported yield of all,

except the late potato, was large, which crop was injured in some parts of the county by drouth and excessive heat.

The yield of wheat the past season was greater than for many years.

The citizens of Licking county are manifesting an interest to assist and be present at each annual exhibition, which certainly speaks well for the future prospects of our society.

LOGAN COUNTY.

Our society is in a good condition morally, socially, and financially. With our 1,500 members, an excellent board of managers, and a general interest by our people, it would be impossible to be otherwise. Every department at the last fair was "full to overflowing." For a number of years our people have taken great interest in our county fairs, and there seems to be a determination to make them second to none in the State. Our principal crops are, wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes. I have not heard of any damage to crops the past year, by any of the numerous insects which the agricultural crops are usually "heir to."

LORAIN COUNTY.

The thirty-third annual fair of the Lorain County Agricultural Society was held October 1, 2, and 3, 1878. The weather was all that could be desired, being warm and pleasant all through. The attendance was large, and the receipts were up to, or above the average for the past several years, the society having been cumbered with a debt for eleven years, which has been gradually decreasing. All members and many citizens seemed determined to get rid of the debt this year, so, turned out with their products to make the exhibition interesting, that all might be induced to attend. In this we were not disappointed, as the receipts will show. As a help to liquidate the debt, the managers provided for an excursion to Niagara Falls, Angust 23. We had a good turnout of visitors, and after the expenses were paid, a balance of $175 was added to the treasury. This, with the profits from the fair, and the amounts obtained by the certificates of the President of the State Board of Agriculture, will, very nearly, if not quite, clear off the indebtedness; so, we claim that the society this year has been, pecuniarily, quite successful. With this indebtedness cleared away, our society will be able to offer more inducements to assist and stimulate farmers, mechanics, and others to make greater improvements in the future; and with the enterprise now manifested by agriculturists, we expect to see, not only our society more efficient, but greater improvements made in every department of husbandry.

The exhibition of livestock was fair, though not quite so numerous as at some former exhibitions, but the stock was generally good. Two of the Hereford herds were not represented-one, owing to the death of the veteran breeder, Mr. Humphrey; and the other for some cause not explained, which has been absent two or three years.

Horses for the carriage and those for general purposes, made quite a good showing; draft horses good. Longwool sheep were well represented. Merinos, but one flock on exhibition.

Implements and mechanic arts, well represented by nearly all manufacturers of the county. Grain, and farm products, generally, made a good showing, especially fruits of all kinds raised in the county, the vegetables being extra fine, superseding some of the larger fairs. The ladies' departments were not behind in excellence of display, Floral and fine art hall was well filled with choice articles-in plants, fine arts, and the

ornamental handiworks of the ladies of the county, also with the useful domestic articles for household purposes-many goods in these several departments being of the greatest excellence.

All cereal crops of the county were good, the wheat crop surpassing any for many years. The crop of 1877 being better than had been obtained for many years, induced many farmers to put in a greater breadth that fall, and, also, many sowed or drilled. earlier. The weather being favorable for the plant to make good headway, in a few weeks many farmers began to lament that they had been so foolish as to sow so early. Their "whole plant would be destroyed by the Hessian-fly"-thus nearly all were complaining, and many anticipated a failure of the wheat crop of 1878. But notwithstanding this, the crop proved the best ever raised in the county for the past twenty-five years. Many, if not all, are now satisfied that it is better to risk an early sown crop, than those put in later in the season. To get an early spring growth (which is desirable), the plant must be well rooted in the fall. The yield was large—but little under twenty bushels per acre, and all the way up to fifty bushels per acre. The Fultz, Clawson, Lancaster, and Treadwell all did well.

The oat crop was large, having an abundant crop of straw. Several heavy blows and rain storms, passing over the county, caused the crop to lodge, consequently, made it very inconvenient and expensive to harvest. The quality is fine, with a good yield (forty to seventy bushels per acre), and over the average weight.

The corn crop was large, and, where well attended, was excellent, but too many of the farmers neglect to properly cultivate the plant, and do not secure so good a return as they otherwise would do. In July a tremendous blow, attended with heavy rain and hail, passed over the north part of the county, breaking down the stalks badly; and then the storm of September 11th and 12th laid much of the corn crop flat. This occurring quite late in the growth, did not affect the yield, but made it expensive to cut, and was a great injury to the stalks for fodder. The crop was thoroughly matured, and the yield from forty to one hundred bushels per acre.

The barley crop is not very extensively raised, except on the lake shore, where it has been successfully grown for some years. From forty to sixty-five bushels per acre was the yield. The deep loam near the lake shore, when free from water, is adapted for this cereal.

Fruits of all descriptions have been plenty-the apple crop immensely so; quality of all fruit fine.

The potato crop, generally speaking, is a failure, though some few patches were extra good-small tubers generally, partly caused by the beetle, and the hot weather after heavy rains. The crop is not extensively raised, except on the reclaimed marshes. Lorain county is adapted for grass, consequently a large portion of her soil is in grass for pasture and hay.

The business of manufacturing milk into cheese is carried on quite extensively by many large factories. Many farms that were formerly pastared by large flocks of Finewool sheep, are now used by the dairymen for the pasturage of cows. Though the prices for milk have ruled low this year, in proportion to many former years, the dairies have been kept up. A vast amount of milk is made into cheese of the best quality, and quite a large quantity of butter manufactured at the creamery. The milk is probably the largest crop raised in the county. The summer of 1878 was favorable for grass, it having retained its greenness all through the season, though the grasshoppers were very destructive in some sections of the county. The quality of the hay was fine, and the crop well secured-about, from 2,500 to 3,000 pounds per acre being an average.

The agricultural interest of the county is progessing. The farmers are getting more enlightened as to the necessity of improvements, seeing that the old system, which has prevailed so long, does not make a sufficient return, and are inquiring into the matter of the best system of preparing the soil for a large and profitable crop, that they may be able to compete with the west and low prices. The commissioners of the county have laid out and had constructed a large amount of ditches, which has advanced the real value of the soil, and benefited the occupants immensely. Though some of the occupants, who thought they were taxed too severely for this improvement, have grumbled, they are now satisfied that the county officers had the benefit, not only of themselves in view, but of the whole county, when making these improvements. Better tillage and better buildings, and some underdrainage, is an indication of permanent improvements. All in all, we consider that Lorain county is making progress, by improving the soil, and, also, in the various departments of husbandry.

MARION COUNTY.

The people of Marion county are determined to make the Marion county fair the first county fair of the State. At the last fair there were thirty-three entries for field crops, but only return of six made. Four entries of an acre each of corn-one a yield of 984 bushels to the acre, one of 93 bushels to the acre, one of 89 bushels to the acre, and one of 83 bushels to the acre. Two entries of an acre each of wheat-one a yield of 45 bushels and 50 pounds to the acre, and one of 41 bushels and 20 pounds to the acre. Two of potatoes, a quarter of an acre each-one a yield of 115 bushels on the quarter acre, and one a yield of 62 bushels on the quarter acre. No return of oats, clover, or timothy seed made.

The crops throughout the county as a general thing are good, wheat and corn number one. The largest yield of wheat reported was 95 bushels on two acres. A number of farmers report forty bushels and over to the acre. Oats, yield good, but injured by wet weather and wind-storm at time of ripening and harvest. Clover seed was injured to a large extent by grasshoppers. Potatoes was a fair crop. Hay a fair yield, grass good. Pasturing continued good and in abundance to about December 1st.

The farmers of Marion county are a wide-awake set of fellows, making use of everything that will decrease the cost of producing and increase the product of the farm. We have in the county twelve tile factories, that have manufactured in the past season an average of 5,000 racks of tile to the kiln. Allowing that as many tile are brought in from adjoining counties as are taken out of the county, would give us an estimate of 60,000 racks of tile laid in the county for one year.

The society the past season offered a premium for the killing of rats, which resulted in the killing of about fifteen hundred rats, in competition, from the first of April to the first of October, 1878.

The president, at the fair of 1878, appointed a committee consisting of Mr. A. H. King, of Marion county, and G. W. Hull and J. Sellars, of Morrow county, to make an appraisement of live stock on exhibition belonging to Marion county. The following is the appraisement: Horses, $48,100; cattle, $9,875; sheep, $1,190; swine and poultry, $3,060; making a total of $62,215.

MEDINA COUNTY.

The year 1878 has been one of unusual prosperity for the Medina county agricultural society. The old fair grounds, containing 17 acres, has for several years proven too