The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-09-18
The Farmers Holidays.
BY HORACE GREELY.

I HORACE GREELY
Patriotism has its anniversary; Religion
has more than one: Art, War, Genius, Lit
erature, Religion, have each their heroes and
their joyful or solemn commemorations.-
The art antecedent and fundamental to all
others-the art of Husbandry or Cultivation
has likewise its peculiar festivals.
And a blessing that Fair is-or should be,
may be-to the whole rural population of
this or any other country-nav, to the entire
community. Life-that is, the life OF the
industrious, the p-oducers--is apt 10 be too
prosaic, too plodding. too scrdid, too drudg-
ing. That Man should rot live by bread
alone is truth which has many more sides
than have yet been commonly contemplated
Ven should not live for bread only. nor for
that which buys bread. 10 live merely to
delve, TO grab. TO garner, TO hoard. is neither
manly nor sodly. Industry is noble. is i'm
oeratively required: he is not honest. much
doently, uselessl, on the products of others
sinews. But the life IS more than meat.
and each should live with this truth fully in
view. If an intellectual being is TO labor
cheerlullv, vigorously, resolutely. he must
have some end in view beyond the me-" phy-
steal product Of his toll. To ineit4 him to
york with buoyant alacrity and stead. .st
perseverance, ne should have the prospect ,
before him OF CALI, com 'Ortabe old age
a period Of exemption from the wear AID
strain Of daily care ard exertion, season
of calm retrospection and placid enioyment,
whereof foretaste is afforded by the .Agri-
cultural Fair.
! | visit the county or township exhibition
of the happiest results Of the summers and
of many seasons husbandry-the rude. in-
promptu stalls filed with choice horses or
horned c1ttle: the pens well stocked win
sheep or sw me the ooops C: & ,, ducks.
tancy hens, pigeons, ETC.. the pots OF golden
butter. rows Of nof!e chee>es, the gvish as
play of gian; squashes, luscious peas, fair
and ruddy apples, purple grapes. etc. etc.
with genuine delight. Yc; the bes. feature
OF the exhibition is that supplied by the
spectators. The solid, thrifty. cout,..;a>. G..-
rler, justly proud of his years achievement;
and conscious of the blesse,!ness of his lot:
the sorsr, q.:et, gentle housewife happy in
her family aid her daily round Of d,.t:.s and
loving cares. yet heartily erioyinc her DAYS
relief from the ever-recurring round e
! household labors. and realizing the luxury of
Gods golden sunshine: irrepressible hilar;ty
and froic of the elder boys the stiller glee
and heartfelt gladness of the maidens; the
eager curiosity and ,ireless locomo:ion Of
the younger children-other holidays may be
more piquant, more stimulating ;han the ia.-
mers'; yet recall 90 other which is so uni
torml Y productive of innocent and healtn.ul
enjoyment.
BY far too little care is given to making
the Fair a school-a Farmers Institute akin
10 the Teachers. Here, for example. is
great pumpkin or melon, cabbage in size
like a brasskettle, or bunch OF grapes
whereon to feast a family. Thousands note
it, eve it, possibly wonder a: it. then pass on
and practically forget it. But every remark
able product should be labelled with some
brief account of the specialities of soil, po-
stion, fertilizing, culture, etc, under which
it was perfected; and if seeds or cuttings
are attainable, that fact should also he stated.
Vague marvel is the least profitable of all
sensations; the one wholesome lesson of tie
Fair is Go thou, and do likewise
Our farmers are quite too generally def
cielt in their contributors to their Fair
They attend only IS spectators and critics.
when they should be exhibitors also. and Of
ten grunbe at the meagcrGryS of the dis.lav
without rejecting thai t:ey are directly re-
sp2ns;ble for it. What sorry shor OF
fruit this year. | could have beaten it ny
self Why didat you then? Il is yorr
"'ra delinquency that you a:e rebukins-not
hat of the managers, who procured all i'iev
could, or the at ual exhibitors, who sent the
best they had. Hat you erumblers but done
you' duty, there would have been nothing to
grumbie at.
In truth, contemplate spirit is evinced
in this resp ect by many who cannot be fully
aware OF their own meanness. They will
not send such creditable products as they
have, because they know or fear that some
one else will send better But the true end
of exhibitions is not prizes, but comparison,
instruction, improvement W. need ;.e
good and the better side by side with and
Illustrating the best. Whoevec has grown a
hundred bushels of dry shelled corn OF an
acre. has done nobly, even though another
has grown hundred and five. That is Ill
envlous, paltry soul that viii Lot LET lis Ggh,
shine because there IS or may bs : brighter
HEAL1HruLNESs or HE LAKE SUPERIOR
, REGloS.-A newspaper correspondent, writ
l ing tfcin the Lake Superior country, remarks
L" The healthy influence of this northern re-