Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-09-24
Oge Oermollt 4benix.
NINTH ANNUAL FAIR
OF TIE
VERMONT STATE AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY,

n
SOCIETY.
In accordance with arrangements effected last
year, the ninth annual Fair of the Vermont
State Agricultural Society was held at Burling
ton on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday, the 18th, l4th, 18th and 10th days of
September, instant on the grounds occupied
by the Society in 1856 and again in 1858.
The number of exhibitors and the amount
and character of the stock and articles contrib
uted to the exposition furnishes satisfactory ev-
idencc of a growing interest in the operations
OF the Society; at the same time strengthening
the conviction that the annual exhibitions and
awards have been the means of stimulating the
farmers and stock growers of this State to con-
tnued efforts for improvement in all depart
ments of agriculture. No one who has been
conversant with the details Of the successive
Fairs of this Society can have failed to observe
constant movement in the right direction. In
all the departments of stock there has been a
gradual but certain Improvement 1t is this
fact that has encouraged the direction of the
Society to their arduous and often thankless
exertions in its organization and progress, and,
at times, in the face of obstacles that happily
our sister State societies are strangers to; and
it is this fact, so clearly proved as to be beyond
the reach of cavil, that they now point to as
their reward, and as justification of the cor
rectncss Of their judgment and the value of
their labors.
The Vermont State Agricultural Society was
organized at Middlebury, September Ii lth, 1851,
during an exhibition or Fair that was in progress
at that place. This Fair was gotten up by two
or three cnterprising individuals, acting under
the advice and with the full appreciation of a
large number of the leading agriculturists of
the State, but with the responsibility of success
or failure on their own hands. The exhibition
was so large and the results so satisfactory that
the society in 1852, accepted the proposition of
these same gentlemen to hold second Fair at
Rutland, in September of that year. Both of
these exhibitions were large and well attended,
but no premiums were paid for none were of
fered. In 1853 the Directors of the Society
voted to offer premium list amounting to be
tween two and three thousand dollars, giving
their personal guaranty that the premiums
should be paid and running the risk of success
or failure Under these circumstances the Fair
of 1858 was held at Montpelier that of 1854
at Brattleboro; that of 1866 at Rutland; and
that of 1856 at Burlington. In the fall of the
last named year the Legislature of Vermont,
five years after the first application therefor,
granted the Society an act of incorporation
Nrhicl oI ,l,o OIL.
January 1857, the Society was duly organized
according to the provisions of said act From
this date its corporate existence commenced.
Previous to 1858 the exhibitions made at the
Fairs were creditable; they attracted much at
tention and elected commendation from all
quarters, but as no premiums were offered, no
record of the number and character of the en-
tries was kept. Since that time we have accu-
rate data by which to determine the progress of
the Society and the increasing interest felt in
its operations. From the records of its trans
actions during the seven years now just passed,
we have compiled the following tabular state
ment of the number of entries in the three
principal departments of stock, which will be
found interesting and instructive. 1t is proper
to remark that in 1853 the classification was
somewhat imperfect, as it was the first attempt
of the Society to arrange premium list. In
the department of cattle many of the entries
under the head of Durhams and Devons should
properly come under that of mixed breeds; for
it was not until the following year that full and
satisfactory pedigrees of blood stock were re-
nurpl N tho ola sihcatiou of Sheen tho Spau-
ish and Slesian varieties were kept distinct for
two or three years, but as the latter variety has
since been excluded from the list, we have put
them all under one head. The totals are found
by counting each pair of horses, oxen and steers
as two animals: