Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-11-07
Tho FARMERS Festival.
ny HORACE GREELEY.


month, several of the County or Township
Fairs wherewith our farmers so generally ana
so fitly celebrated the close OF their sum
mer's lalors and the commencement OF their
autumn harvest. A conviction thai these
fairs, already useful as indictments to better
and still better husbandry, may be rendered
far more so in the future, prompts tie fol
lowing suggestions:
|. Whoever thoughlfully scans one OF
these exhibitions must be struck with Tic
paucity of contributors and contributions as
compared with what they might and should
be. Here is a county comprising i've thou
sand farms-and, Of course, five thousand
farmers each of whom, it may BY fairly
presumed, has grown something that might
help to make up an exhibit OF the countys
products. Ii seems within reason to estl-
mate that at least one-iifth of those farmers
would feel impelled by public spirit and
proper pride to contribute-eyen though
Till of corn, peck Of potatoes, a basket of
apples: a few punches Of grapes, OF bas-
ket of beans, were the best he had to offer.
One can scarcely conceive that farmer
should have been at work all summer, and
not produced at least a lap-full OF grams,
fruits, or vegetables, that he would be Will
ing to send or take as his contribution TO the
fair. Yet so far as may judge from has
ty observation, there has not been so many
as one thousand farmers who contributed TO
any county fair held this fall in our State.
| Decidedly the best of all that have visited
this year was that of the western towns OF
Oswego county, held at Fulton, on the 10Th
| ult. Oswego is large, rich, thrifty county,
| especially favored in her adaptation TO iruit
culture, but well suited also to dairying,
which she prosecutes with spirit and sue
cess. Judge that five thousand OF her farm
ers, besides their wives and children, attend
ed the late fair at Fulton. The two-thirds
OF them doubtless said, as they scanned this
or that article on exhibition, ''why, could
have beaten that p The more shame te
you, then, that You did not tly Our fairs
can never do the good they should do until
every farmer goes home saying, u will have
something 10 exhibit next year-at al
events, | will exhibit the best | may have
Whenever the better half of the farmers in
any county shall each resolve TO exhibit
something, our fairs will be richly worth
their cost in time and effort. As yet, n.osl
farmers go to grumble that the show is SC
scanty and meager, without seeming TO con
slider that they are to blame for it-tiat j
would have been all that need be desired
had they seYerally recognized and fulfilled
their obligation to contribute. ANY fair to
which half the farmers in the county contrib
ute will be a good one.
II. 1t seems to me that unreasonable en-
Fhass is generally laid on the award OF
premiums. Three men, passing hurrcdly
from peh to pen, adjudge AS horse or oxen
the best on the ground, and b. s only sec,
ond or third in excellence. Very probably
they err in Judgment, through haste, or par
tiality. or inc0mpetcncy. What If they dol
is the intrinsic value Of your animal lcssenet
by this error? l. the matter worth trettlns
over, and how? The popular verdict Otter
reyerscs that Of the committee, and full,
atones for the injustice by the heartiness o
: its condemnation. Ii were an exhibitor
and cared about the matter, would rathc
+ have injustice done me than not. Wher
the appellate tribunal includes the Who'll
county, no one need care what three ne
u may say And yet, exhibitors have gon
! away, firmly resolved never to exhibit again
8 because Of presumed partially or injusiic
, in the award Of some paltry premium.
, III. The overwhelming, crushing ropu
lality OF the horse at some fairs marks a 10y
stage OF intellectual and moral development
on The part of assembled thousands Ihu
men Should among many articles wort
their observation and study, see only til
horses on the course, and have their interes
in the fair wholly absorbed in the gait Of A.
team. and stride Of b. S racer, or the tim
made by c. or DIS span Of trottefs, is I'm
fortunate, 10 say the least. Still, we MUS
Z deal with men as we find them; and this pas
sion for hnrsetlesh doubtless draws thou:
{ and to fairs who would otherwise shu
2 them. Tie study Of managers should be
e tuin this passion to good account, by hayiil
u other exercises interviewed or alternate
2 with the show Of horses on the track; Will