interests in the vicinity of Arcadia are in a prosperous condition. The farmers are bestowing more intelligent labor upon the business of farming than in previous years and continue to improve each year in the science of their profession. The corn crop of 1888 was remarkably good, the best ever known in this section of the country, and of fair quality. Wheat was not more than a half crop. Oats proved abundant, hay was good, aad all saved in good order. There was also a good average crop of potatoes.

BRIDGETON UNION.

The Society held its Twenty-seventh Fair at Bridgeton, Parke county, August 20th-25th. The weather was fine the entire week, and the Fair was one of the best ever held by the Society. The show in all departments was very good. The horse rings were all well represented, general purpose horses taking the lead in numbers.

The cattle department was well filled, Short-horns predominating. The show in cattle was made by our home breeders, and was very creditable, there being some very fine animals shown. Sheep and hogs were well represented. The poultry show was very fine. Agricultural and vegetable halls were well filled with the finest specimens of the field and garden. The Women's Department was well filled, represented by various handiwork of different kinds. The show of flowers was especially good. The Horticultural Department was well filled with specimens of fruit of various kinds except peaches. The past year has been reasonably a successful one for the farmers of the district with the exception of the wheat crop. The crop of wheat was very light, and in some localities almost an entire failure, and what there was, of a very inferior quality, especially was this the case in Clay county.

The corn crop of the district was very good, the best on the clay land that has been for some years. The price of corn at present writing is as low as has been for several years. Oats good. Timothy, about an average crop. Clover nearly a failure on account of the drouth in the summer of 1887. Our young clover in the spring, and the very unfavorable weather of March, 1888, but very little seed saved. Potatoes, only a medium crop. No rye or barley raised to amount to anything in the district. The fruit crop was the best that we have had for a number of years, and of good quality, especially is this the case with apples. The abundant crop of this year will be the result of stimulating the farmers to make renewed efforts to recuperate their run-down orchards. There is a steady improvement going on in all of the various departments of farming and stock raising in the bounds of our district, more especially in introducing pure bred stock of the various breeds. Our Society tried the one judge system in some of the departments this year with entire success, and we think will adopt it more fully the coming year. The winter has been an exception so far, no cold weather, and at the present writing, January 3, 1889, bees are out in force, the buds are swelling on the trees, and sugar water is running freely.

FAIRMOUNT UNION.

The Fairmount Union, Joint Stock Agricultural Association, held its fifth annual meeting at Fairmont, September 24 to 28.

The exhibition was generally satisfactory to all concerned and in some departments it surpassed any of the former exhibitions of this enterprising society.

The entries in the horse department were many and embraced the various breeds commonly shown-the heavy draft breeds predominating.

The show of cattle was good and was constituted principally of Short Horns, Holsteins and Jerseys. The interest manifested in this department, both by exhibitors and visitors, was gratifying to the management.

The entries in sheep and hogs were fair, and embraced fine specimens in both classes.

The poultry department was a show of itself. Exhibitors were those who make a specialty of fancy breeds of birds in this district. There has been a great improvement in this industry in the past two years, and this part of the country is well supplied with good poultry.

The agricultural hall was filled to overflowing-an exhibition much larger and better than that of any previous fair, except that of wheat, which, while creditable, was selected from perhaps less than one-third of a crop. The display of small fruits, especially of grapes, in all manner of preservation, was large. The show of apples and pears demonstrates good interest and attention to this culture. The purses offered in the speed department were earnestly contested and afforded some good races.

The floral hall was filled to its uttermost with needle work, fine art, etc. This exhibition was first-class in every respect, which fact gives evidence of the great interest the ladies of the district have in the fair.

The receipts of the fair were not so large as those of last year, chiefly because of the uncomfortably cold weather during the two last days of the exhibition. However, all premiums and purses were paid in full and a surplus of $400 yet remains.

Expert judges were employed to award premiums in both the swine and poultry departments, which gave excellent satisfaction, and we hope to be able to secure such judges for other departments in the future.

No intoxicating liquors were sold on the ground, neither were any games of chance admitted.

The corn crop was excellent; the wheat crop, 25 to 334 per cent.; hay and oats short, but of fair quality.

Hog cholera has not been prevalent during the last twelve months.

Our fair continues to stimulate the general farming interests of the community in which it is held.

FOUNTAIN, WARREN AND VERMILLION.

Our association held its 29th annual fair at Covington, September 24 to 28, 1888. To say that it was a success in every particular only feebly expresses the truth. The crowds that attended from day to day were enormous, and the receipts correspondingly large. The entries were the largest ever made in this district. The display of live-stock was not only large but magnificent, and no pains were spared by the managers to make the exhibitors and their exhibits as comfortable as possible under the crowded circumstances. Notwithstanding the extensive additions in the way of stall room that have been made on our grounds in the last few years, the entries in the stock line were so numerous that our facilities in that direction were wholly inadequate, and carpenters were busily engaged throughout the first three days erecting new accommodations.

The speed ring was never before patronized so liberally, nor the competition for first place so honestly and hotly contested. Some of the finest horses in Indiana and Illinois were entered; the racing was for blood, and the record of our ring was lowered.

The exhibition in the Floral Hall was superb. Although a large and commodious addition was made to it two years ago, yet it was crowded to its utmost capacity by our people, vieing with each other in making the finest display.

The display in the Agricultural Hall was in keeping with all the other departments of the fair, and showed our agricultural and mechanical industries to a splendid advantage. Everything considered, our last fair indicated that the development of our county in the year last past has been more general and substantial than in any previous year of its history, and to this fact we attribute the immense success of our last fair. Added to this we have, without any exception, the finest grounds in the State of Indiana. Arrangements have been made and contracts let for most extensive and expensive improvements, such as will place our association not only above the average, but second to no district in the State.

KNIGHTSTOWN UNION.

This fair has had a long career of success, broken only by an occasional failure, the last being the fair held the past year. In this the failure was only partial, there being a larger exhibition of goods and animals than ever before, but the attendance was small and the receipts correspondingly light. This was largely attributable to the order of the stockholders of the association cutting off the sale of family tickets. The state of agriculture in the district has been good during the year. The corn crop was large, and the wheat crop a good average. Oats were light and grass not very good. The potato crop was a partial failure. Fruits were abundant in general; strawberries moderate; raspberries and blackberries affected by drouth; cherries, plums, pears and peaches better than ordinarily, with the best apple crop since the freeze-out of 1880. The condition of the winter wheat crop is moderately good, the absence of snow injuring it somewhat.

The development of the gas field hereabouts has given something of a boom to real estate and all the industries, and bids fair to attract hither much capital from abroad. There are upwards of twenty-five producing gas wells in the district, with this city for the center, and farmers are sinking more for their private use.

LAWRENCE DISTRICT.

The annual fair was held at Lawrence, Marion County, September 4 to 7. The weather was fine; the exhibits, in point of variety, quantity and quality, were fully up to any previous year. The attendance was not as large as usual, owing, perhaps, to the intense political activity and the need of better and more ample accommodations. To remedy the latter it is proposed to purchase a forty acre tract lying along the Bee-Line railroad for future exhibitions. When this is accomplished we will have one of the most accessible and convenient sites in this part of the State. Our grounds are situated at Lawrence, on the Bee-Line railroad, nine miles northeast of Indianapolis, and are accessible to the people of Marion, Hancock, Hamilton and Madison counties. This is in the midst of a very fine farming country. To the east lie the rich, black land of Hancock County, which produces large crops of wheat, corn, oats, hay, etc.; to the north and west the diversified country along White River and Fall Creek, with its rich bottom lands and "Sugar flats" in a high state of cultivation, and to the south an undulating region adapted to a large range of crops. The lower lying lands of this entire country are of black loam, very rich, and easily tilled. The uplands are of yellow clay. The latter, where properly managed, is proving to be our most profitable land. It is most excellent for fruit, growing fine healthy trees and vines, which withstand our sudden climatic changes, and as they bloom later in the spring, there is less liability to damage by late frosts. We are also blessed with that incomparable gift of nature, natural gas. Enough of our territory has been developed to show that natural gas underlies the whole of this region. When we take into consideration the fine farming and fruit lands, the nearness to market, the assurance of natural gas as a fuel and light, and the moderate price of real estate, we think that this part of the country offers many inducements for the investment of capital. The Bee-Line, the I., B. & W., and the L. E. & W. railroads cross this territory, affording rare means for shipment and travel. The villages situated on these furnish good sites for manufacturing. This is also noted as a healthy locality. Being the summit of this part of the State cases of malarial sickness are rare, and seldom fatal.

LOOGOOTEE DISTRICT.

The Loogootee District Fair Association represents the Counties of Martin, Daviess, Dubois and Greene, of this district. The agricultural interests are gradually improving each year. We have a great variety of soil that is adapted to all agricultural products of which our climate will admit.

We have in this region a great diversity in the character of the lands, ranging from very wet, low lands to the highest and driest of uplands.

Our farmers are making rapid progress in the science of agriculture, and as time advances, are gaining rapidly in practical knowledge of the wants and capabilities of the different localities, and are thus enabled to make the very best of all natural advantages at their command.

Hence, a careful observer can not fail to be favorably impressed with the great improvement observable on every hand in the management and cultivation of the farms in general.

This very satisfactory state of affairs has been brought about in a large measure by the influence of agricultural societies and agricultural papers. But while the above is true, as a rule, it is a deplorable fact that there are a few "Old Fogy" farmers who are still in the ruts, and are unwilling to give the agricultural societies any support, except a paltry 25-cent. admission fee, and that in a grudging manner. It is a matter of fact, however, that this class is growing beautifully less every year, and we believe that it will be only a question of time when they will be completely eliminated from the lists, and known only in the history of the past. Our association has been in successsful operation for fifteen years, and we have splendid grounds, as fine perhaps as there are in the State.

Our two last exhibitions were as good, or better, than any held previous to that time, but were not so successful financially.

In the way of fine stock, the greatest improvement noticeable is in horses. Next in order come cattle, hogs and sheep.

Great improvement is observable in farm buildings, farm implements, and manner of cultivating the soil. What we now need to make our district one of the grandest and most desirable in the United States, is for every farmer to study the business as mechanics, merchants and professional men study theirs. When this is done, farming will become one of the most successful, pleasant and profitable occupations under the sun, especially will this be the case in a region blessed with such natural advantages as ours.

MIAMI AND FULTON.

This society held their sixth annual fair on grounds one-half mile west of the town of Macy, Miami County, from September 26 to 29 inclusive.

The exhibit in every department was good, the number of entries exceeding any former year by about one hundred.

Our show of horses was an improvement on any previous year; a few more in number and general quality excellent.

Cattle was an improvement on former years.

Of sheep the exhibit was very good, and a fair representation of the sheep interest of this section, yet there is not the attention given to sheep husbandary that might be made profitable to the flock master.

Hogs were good in quality, and about the same in number as last year.

Financially our fair was not the success we had hoped for. The weather being quite unfavorable, raining the first two days, clearing up too cool for outdoor comfort the last days, yet we can pay the expenses and premiums in full and have a small amount left to apply on the improvement account.