“The only prune knight,” said [Commissioner of the California State Agricultural Society] Filcher, “was in the California exhibit at the world’s fair in Chicago. It was conceived and designed by the people of Santa Clara county. The only walnut elephant that has ever been exhibited was the one at the Buffalo exposition and was sent by the people of Los Angeles county. The frame work, being the property of Los Angeles county, has since been used by it by way of advertising walnuts, and was never at a state fair.
“Th[e] only raisin eagle ever shown was at the midwinter fair in San Francisco, and was conceived and designed by the people of Fresno county. The only bean elk every exhibited was made by the people of Ventura county and sent to the Portland exposition. The only prune bear ever made was install by the people of Sacramento county at the St. Louis exposition, and was a feature of their county exhibit.”
“Filcher’s ‘Menagerie’ Starts Amusing Row; Pardee Helps Gives Valiant Battle to Help Distressed Prune Knight; Peach Dog Upheld; Raisin Eagle and Bean Elk Are Declared Proper Exhibitions,” The San Francisco Call 103 (no. 35), 4 January 1908, p. 4. Available at California Digital Newspaper Collection.
http://viewshed.matinic.us/2014/01/15/625/