A more than usual success has attended the various State and local Horticultural Fairs this autumn. The attendance of people has been large, and the exhibitions in every branch of agriculture, horticulture, and mechanic arts greater than ever before.

The Cincinnati Horticultural Society prepared an immense room in a most elaborate and tasteful manner, studding the floor and tables completely with plants, fruits, and flowers. The advertised award of the Longworth Wine-House's premium for the best wine-grape, of the United States drew a large number of leading horticulturists, expecting to see competition by many sorts, and also expectant of seeing there all the new varieties of promise; but in this they were partially disappointed, the display of new sorts being quite meagre. The Longworth award was given to the Ives as the best wine-grape for all our States - a judgment that may possibly prove true, but at this time has many opponents, and justly too, inasmuch as the grape, although an old sort in one or two vineyards about Cincinnati, has been by vine-growers in that locality but slightly esteemed until within a year or two, and tested in very, very few locations in that or other States. , Of other fruits than grapes, the exhibition was fair, and as usual exhibited fruits grown with care, side by side with those uncared for in cultivation - the one luscious, tempting ; the other, of the same variety, almost repulsive in appearance.

A few seedling pears were shown, but nothing of good promise, and no new apple of value.

The Ohio State Fair had one of the finest shows of fruits ever made, especially in grapes, a leading fruit just now in the north part of the State. Of these, however, nothing new of value appeared, but the size and ripeness of some of the older varieties astonished many. Iona alongside of Catawba was classed as almost as good, while the Concord exhibited a sweet richness that would carry the must certainly up to 80°. Mottled was shown in its true character, and so good as to awaken a lively interest in this old, really valuable, but little appreciated grape. The show of apples and pears was unusually fine, evidence of the admirable fruit section as well as of the good cultivators surrounding the city of Toledo, where the fair was held.

The State Horticultural Show of Iowa, notwithstanding the deficiency in the apple crop there this season, was yet up to any former one, and the fruit, as a whole, gave evidence of good cultivation and a better knowledge of sorts adapted to their climate than some of the shows in former years. There is no question about Iowa being a good fruit State, as the show of apples, pears, and grapes at this show would convince any doubter. Even chestnuts were on the table, grown domestically, as we may say, by Suel Foster, an enthusiastic fruit-grower of that State.

At the Michigan State Fair the show of fruit was not large, but in the collections were many beautiful specimens of well-proven varieties. Michigan has a great deal of good fruit land, and the show of such products should have been far greater.

Of vegetables, the Western Rural says:

"The Michigan Agricultural College made a very fine display of solanaceous productions, consisting of potatoes, vegetable eggs, peppers, etc. The specimens were in excellent condition, and being very well arranged, attracted much attention. There were 36 varieties of the tomato. That which is known as the College Tomato No. 1 is said to have done best this year, and next to this, College No. 2, which is a hybrid between College No. 1 and the Tilden. It is as large as No. 1, but a little later. College No. 3 is smaller than either of the foregoing, but is very solid, grows in large clusters, and is well adapted for pickling. Keyes' Tomato did not ripen as early, or turn out as well in any way as the College No. 1.

"Of potatoes there were exhibited by the Agricultural College 56 varieties, with the acreable produce of each noted on the cards. The Early Handsworth came to maturity earliest of all, but did not yield as well as several others. The Early Rose is said to have supported its high character".

The shows of grapes at the Wisconsin and Minnesota State Fairs indicate success in growing all the early ripening, hardy varieties, such as Delaware, Hartford, Concord, etc., and the displays of apples evidence in the number of seedling crabs shown, that many portions of the States must largely depend upon improved varieties of that class for their main crops of winter fruit. There is one point of encouragement, however, for all the Northwestern orchardists, and that is in the less number of insect enemies they have to contend with, thus insuring more fair and beautiful specimens of fruit than can be grown in milder latitudes, even with great care. The move now making toward originating a class of apples belonging to the crabs is a good one, but if they will select their best crab and then fertilize with some of the best Russian varieties, the progress will be more rapid than to continue reproducing crabs, even if seeds of the best are selected.