Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-09-14
Gbe 4ailg gpp.
THURSDAY. SEPT. IA, 1854.
Attend The Fairs.

IL. Farmer puts forth some remarks OH TAR
mers attending their State and County Fairs,
or Cattle Shows, which we consider equally
well adapted to the farmers of Maine. What
is needed, 10 make our shows more useful
and interesting, is q full attendance of the
farmerss, and their wives and children. IL
you have nothing to bring, come empty hand
ed, and see what others bring, and, by so
doing, gain some useful information that will
" come III play as the saying is, when you
are at home upon your own farm. BY taking
this course your county and state fairs, from
being a shame and reproach to the farmers in
whose ghborhood they are held, on account
of the meagre display of articles and stock,
and the small number attending them, Will
become credit and an honor to the State,
From being without funds i'll their treasures,
the county societies will have a surplus
wherewith to try important experiments, or
test some labor saving machine, or for other
useful and practical purposes. Try it brother
farmers, and our word for it, a few years Will
place your county fairs behind those of no
other state, either for extent. or IN the dissem-
nation of useful agricultural knowledge.
We quote the reInaks above alluded to, and
recommend them to the careful perusal Of
our readers. After naming the times of the
different county fairs in New Hampshire, the
Farmer says: -
Z" Now we have a few words to say in this
connection relative to attending these ami
versaries. One object of Fairs, and perhaps
we may say the great object, is to afford an
opportunity for all present to witness the
product of the farmers skill and toil--to see
what cattle he rears, what grain he produces,
what fabrics are manufactured beneath his
roois-that all may learn his method of man
agement and be benefited thereby. The ex-
hibitor himself is not the only one to be BEN
Gifted by presenting his stock, his dairy
products and his domestic manufactures. 10
be sure, competition may arouse his ambition,
and induce him to make more vigorous efforts
But the real benefit to be gained is by COM
pairing his own with similar articles presented
by others.
But l have nothing to present, says one;
why need l attends For the very reason
which you would assign for not attending.
When you have made up your mind to attend
the Fair for the sake of learning, you have
already done much-you have conquered
your preiudices." You go with an honest
motive. You pass around from yard to yard
among the eattle-you examine the horses,
the sheep, the swine you pass through the
dairy hall-see the butter and cheese; near
by you find an abundance Of fruit and of
garden vegetables; you cannot pass over the
countless articles contributed from the female
portion of the farmers household. You see
more than you imagined your little county
produced. You find much to admire-much
to inspire you with a determination to exert
more power and apply yourself more earnest
ly to your products i'll future. But as you
pass along you behold manifold objects far
less deserving than those produced by your
own hands, you are satisfied it is so, and
your modesty will not prevent you from de-
claring it. The next year you too are a COM
petitor, and most likely successful one
Your whole family are interested in the Fair.
You have reaped benefit unexpectedly.
| But this is not all,-you make fifty acquaint-
! ances, you talk OF your common products,
| YOU leBrn new methods of cultivation, you
acquire more new thoughts than you before
supposed your mind capable of containing,
and, if you are wise, you will put some Of
them into practical operation as soon as you
have an opportunity. From these you will
make new acquisitions, and in time you will
gain another benefit, where you anticipated
nothing at the beginning.
For these reasons for the benefits which
viii arise to yourself and your children-at-
tend your County Fairs and when farmer
has spent one day in examining the best stock
in his own county, and found, as he unques-
tlonably Will, better animals than he expect
ed he has prepared his mind to extend his
observations still further. He desires to know
if other counties can do as well. The infor-
nation he has gained at one exhibition will
be doubled at second, and increased in a
Threshold ratio at third or a fourth. 1t is
impossible for a man to go with open eyes, to
County exhibition, away from hisnlva--
neighborhood, without acquiring new facts.
and gaining some information in relation to
his daily labors. sae
The same is true, only in greater degree.
in regard to the state shows. Here he will
obtain a sort of summary of the whole, a
condensation and review of the subject mat
ter which has been before him.
We would therefore advise farmers to attend
all the Fairs in the Stase SO far as it is posi-
bic. Go and make comparisons for your own .
good and for the common benefit of those who
labor with you.
Societies should take pains to send dele
gates. and have reports published concerning
kindred associations, and we hope this fall,
as our fairs are SO well arranged, to see dele
gates sent from every society to every other,
aud to read from those delegates full reports
of what they witnessed at these exhibitions"