The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-09-28
The County Fair.


The La Sale County Fair commences one
week from next Tuesday, October Sth, to con-
tinue four days The preparations the officers
of the Society are making for this fair are or
scale to show that they anticipate large
exhibition. They have erected new build
ing, 40 by 60 feet, very handsomely designed,
and intended as floral hall. and hall for the
exhibition of ladies' fancy work, fine arts, NC.
The other buildings on the ground have also
been brushed up, and very much improved in
point of convenience of arrangement and gen
eral appearance The officers assure us that
they have been compelled to mako these i'm
proyements because the general interest
throughout the county in the coming fair
seemed to be such as to justify the outlay
They will be previously deceived if the fair,
in every respect, does not tnrn out to be far in
advance of any previous exhibition of the So
ciety.
There Is quite a body of our most intclli
gent farmers who appreciate the Importance
of these annual exhibitions. but Their number
is so much smaller than it ought to be. that
most of the labor and expense of keeping up
the fairs year after year falls upon them, until
they get tired and discouraged. 1t is not
right After the hard and protracted labor
of the summer, the farmer needs and should
hay, son Of relaxation. and what more IA
voral, i, portunity is afforded him than 10
attend his county fair, and, if he can afford
it, his State fair.
AS writer in the Prairie Farmer well
says; every true farmer honors and loves
his calling, and, it is supposed, takes delight
in comparing his stock, and the products of
field, orchard, or dairy with those of others,
and in beholding the excellence, variety, and
success of the efforts of his brother farmers.
in their legitimate calling The exchange of
seeds and the finding of first hands, where
seeds, animals or implements may be had. are
always OF much consequence in point of econ
omy and time To further these objects is
the Legitimate aim and office of our apricu!-
tural fairs. TO induce farmers to attend and
compete, prizes and premiums are offered,
and many other attractive features are offered
for the entertainment of visitors
Most visitors 90 Of course only to be anus
ed for an hour or two, and then go home no
wiser than when they went. The intelligent
farmer would feel degraded to 90 from no
higher motive. He not only goes to be amused
but to be pleased and instructed He looks
closely al what he sees, and if there is any
thing that is new TO him, or that he ought to
remember, he h, MS memorandum book in
hand and notes it down. Nor would he con-
slider it honorable to compel Others to con-
tribute everything for his benefit. and not in
return for the profit he expects to derive from
the examination of the products of others, to
give them the same opportunity to examine
the best results of his own industry and skill
The approaching county fair is expected
at least in some particulars to be an improve
ment on its predecessors. The great horse
fair being over, the dcs On is to give COM
paratively subordinate place 10 the horse
racing feature, and to pay more attention to
other legitimate branches of such an cxhibi-
ton, such as general farm and horticultural
products, farm machinery and implements,
cattle, sheep, hogs. poultry, fruits, dairy pro-
ducts, fine arts, &c, Another novel feature,
also, will be the introduction of athletic
games, among which the noble and
tlrslt. Ap,a II
prominent pert, the two leading clubs of
Ottawa the Shabbona" and 80. k
having already promised to be on the ground
and playa match game, while doubtless other
clubs will also be present.
The fair must and will be success" but
to make ii sucli, it is not enough to 90 only as
spectators. Exhibitors are worth a hundred
times more at Il fair than spectators.