Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-11-10
For the Journal.
Reply TO subrosa's Brother.

October 10Th, may be found an article
bearing the superscription of "Subro-
sa's Brother" that we think should be
replied to. We are friendly to Agri-
cultural Fairs and believe them to be
productive Of good, and do not feel that
it would be doing jRctice to this "In-
stitution" of farmers. that your cor
respondents objections to them Should
remain unanswered.
In the first place. he admits that
perhaps they are calculated to intro
iuce stock of the best on atty into the
country" but to offset this benefit of
the Fair. he SAYS that energetic and
interested men will do this whether
there are Fairs or no." Suppose that
one of those energetic. interested
men" undertakes to stock his farm
with improved stock. the very best
there is in the country. When, after
day or two days ride, he finds good
horse, he does not know but that there
may be several others, not far off, CIV.
cry way superior to the one he has
found and that they can be had at less
prices. And after he has occupied
several more days in looking after cat
tie, sheep AID hogs how will he be
able to select and know that he has the
best that the country offers, unless he
knows of all there are in his reach and
has taken time to examine and COM
pare the varieties that numerous stock
dealers have and offer to the market.
Now at a Fair, where all the good
stock of the County is collected to-
gether, by paying % cents for a ticket
for one day, or 81. for badge for four
days he could have access to the Fair
ground aud have all the stock before
him and an opportunity Of comparing
the different breeds and learning the
history of each by the exhibition that
is at the Fair, without spend ing
time and money in traversing the coun-
try for the same purpose and then be
uncertain as 20 his selections being the
best. Here are both time and money
saved of which ourfriend seems to have
a very high opinion. But there are
other good results arising from this
annual exhibition of stock. There are
great many who attend Fairs who
do not exhibit stock of any kind or
quality, but who leave very poor spec
linens at home. They are melted by
the fine specimens before them, to make
Improvements, not only in the stock
department, but in the vegetable also.
y man would not know but that he
had the best of every thing in the
world if he did not sometimes come in
contact with other productions of su-
2erior quality. By this means the
thrasher's fail and the plowman's
wooden moleboard have been supplant-
eel by the thrashing machine, and the
steam Plow and steel moleboard. Peo-
must see the improvements of the age
before they can be induced to adopt
them, and we know of no better way
to get to see them than to offer suf-
licicnt premium for the best one to in
ducc the different owners to bring them
together for exhibition.
Suppose again. that our friend wish
ed to commence farming on an extern
sive scale, and is DESTROYS of having
the best Thrashing Machine, Harrows,
Flows, Cultivators, Rcapers. Mowers
and Straw Cutters. Would he visit
Richmond. Cambridge City, Buena
Vista, Winchester, Dayton and Piqua
at an expense of at least $50, where
he could see the different styles Of the
implements of husbandry? 1t would
only take about a months time. Or
would he send to each place and buy
an assortment at an an expense of at
least 81 900, and then by actual ex-
pertinent determine which was the
best? Or would he not do better to
go to the nearest Agricultural Exhibi-
ton where he could see them all at
one place at cost of only ST.? And
there he could not only sec them. but he
could see them operate and be enabled
to decide at once which would suit him
best. And so of Fruits, Grains and
Vegetables. Instead of running all
over ten States for the best, he could
see a collection a. almost any Agri-
cultural Exhibition, from which he
might make his selections at much
less expense and with more certainty
of being right than any how else at SO
little cost. Besides, he could obtain
the manner of their cultivation and
growth from experienced Agricultur-
lists which might take him years to
learn.
The farmer and the mechanic are es-
pecially interested in Agricultural
Ea,rc The fnrpar ,vantc tho boct