The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-10-09

cheese and numerous other good things,
from the hands of your good wives and
daughters; / touched the tender and cris-
py fruit of various kinds, the realization
Of that future hope, when by your hands
it was so carefully planted; | handled the
plump and perfect wheat, and other pro-
ducts of your untiring industry and hope
ful patience. / am now convinced il is
not dream.
Wars and rumors Of wars throw sad
ness perhaps upon your annual gathering
but the earth has been visited aud wa
tered, the pastures are clothed with focks
and the valleys are covered DER with corn !;
truly you can shout for joy!
Here have you brought your fairest
and choicest products, which the careful
hand and attentive eye have protected
and watched the past six months, now
perfected with the timely rain and ripen-
ing sun. None but farmer can feel the
interest YOU do in this, for we prize most
that which has given the most anxiety.
Come, therefore, with cheerful faces and
friendly greetings TO provoke honest COM
petition for each others good. The farm
er who can not so come has mistaken his
errand-for this is not holiday alone,
but an opportune day, set apart to be de-
voted by sou to information and improve
ment. You have agreed among your.
selves, not with mechanics, lumbermen,
cotton spinners, or street spnners, that il
should be so. You have organized So
ciety formally, according to law, made a
constitution, elected officers to facilitate
this work, and will you now put the lie
upon your own acts, by coming here as
pastime, to see and be seen, or TO bring
something extra in your estimation, and
disappointed return grumblng, because
the committee was not of your opinion
Is this the right spirits If, for instance,
there were no cattle brought except those
which received the premium wo should
have only ono yoke; and so of everything.
Think of Fair of one yoke of oxen, one
span of horses, one COW, one sheep, one
pig, one tub of butter one cheese, one APP
pie, one ear Of corn, one kernel Of wheat,
and one turnip seed! Pursuing this
course two years how many think you
we should have iu attendance? | will
guess. One man; one woman; one boy
one girl and one baby-who would
be Presidents, Secretaries, Committees
Orators, and audience. No, farmers, il
will not do to let our interests flag, oil
settle into Indifference, because there arc
not premiums for all. This Agriculture
Fair was never designed to be n money.
making company, by exchange and dis
count. 1t was not founded upon the Sc
cession stocks of division aud discord, but
upon benevolence and good will, that wC
may labor in union and harmony, Ther
let US come and bring sheaf every year
We shall reap our reward in the satisfac
tion Of having contributed our mite il
improving the farming interests of Otta
wa.
| have not forgotten my early inter
est in attending the seattle shows" il
Old Berkshire Do YOU recolleet thei
origin?
"In August, 1910, Mr.. ELKANAH WAT
SON, of Berkshire, Mass, wrote an appea
TO the public which he induced twenty
sic farmers TO sign, appointing cattl
show, nj Pittsfield, on the first Of Octo
Der, of that year, which took place, ant
it is believed was the first agricultu
raj fair ever held in America. The Berk
shire Agricultural Society was incorpora
ted in the winter Of 1910 and 1911
From this era sprang the system of agri
cultural societies and shows, as they exis
, at present in most parts of the Unite
States. Through the perseverance an
patriotic efforts Of Mr.. Watson, societie
were formed, not only in many of th
counties of New England, but in Ne'
York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland
Virginia, South Carolina, North Carol
, na, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, a
. well as boards Of agriculture in several {
= these States"
: There are some here to-day, presume
' who are familiar with these "catll
q shows" used 10 pay my visits annua
> ly. Every in Berkshire wanted
I 90, and almost everybody went and ca
ried something. The dust scarcely SCI
: tied upon the highways leading to tow
: for three days, the time allotted for catt
r show. In addition to agricultural spec
$ mems, the products of the mechanic mad
q no small show there. You could see a
n kinds of machines. in addition 10 Devo
i Cattle and Berkshire Pigs. In the orni
II mental branch were flowers and prett
girls, without number, and withoh me-
cy. A stroll through the hall was free
. charge, and nobody was offended by Yar
), kee questions. If you knew less whe
n YOU returned, than before you went,
y was your own fault. To gaze, ask que
v tions, and tramp, was the labor of the fir
Il day. The next is cattle day.
y Place yourself by the road side, al
j. after some preliminaries you see h'
n dozen trains, from four TO twelve pairs
ID Devon Cattle in each. They are bea
n the Cbarry.red round bodies straiot