Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-08-17
Sustain the County Agricultural
Societies.

tiiiOuSuOul tue COUNTY, ana LnefoDE
increasing the benefits and usefulness
of their annual exhibitions This doe
umeDt briefly but succinctly sets forth
the several reasons why farmers should
encourage and sustain their county
Fairs, and while these views are not
new, they are presented in manner at
once terse and forcible We give
place to them because they apply as
we'll to other counties as to the local
one for which they were issued, and
because, also, they are opposite in
point of time:
The object in establishing and main
tanning Agricultural Societies is i'm
prOvement in the processes and pro
ducts of Agriculture. 1t is custom
ary also TO foster and stimulate var
ious other branches of industry, mas
much as this practice does not inter
fere with the primitive object, and
adds materially to the interest of
Fairs
The success of these societies de
pends somewhat upon the skill and
energy of the officers, but much more
upon the appreciation by the whole
community of the benefits of such so
cieties, and general co operation in
sustaining them.
But will our society if properly sus-
tanned and managed, aid in improving
all kinds of farm stock in introducing
more economical machinery for rails
ing, harvesting, handling and thresl ing
our crops? and stimulate improve
ments in all the industrial pursuits
If so, it should receive our earnest
support. We have made vast improve
ments in all branches of industry, and
especially in implements and machines
since the days of our fathers.
A great change has been made in
agricultural implements within a few
years, and manufacturers have made
use of fairs to advertise their wares
by which means they have been
brought under the immediate notice of
the farmer, who has commented upon
their excellence and imperfections,
and improvements suggested, of which
the maker has taken advantage. These
are some of the benefits that have fol
lowed, as the results either directly or
indirectly of Agricultural Fairs. 1t
is at our fairs where the various pro
ductions of mechanism are brought to
gether, and their differences seen and
noted, and ideas of improvement are
suggested. There is little doubt that
we owe the advantages We possess in
the art of husbandry over our ances-
tors, more to the fairs than to all other
causes combined.
The same is true of improvements
in farm stock. At the Fairs are Brought
together the various breeds and grades
of stock, and here the intelligent farm
er studies the point of excellencies or
the defects in each, and is prepared to
decide which are the best adapted to
his purpose, or whether q cross be-
tween two breeds would be preferable
to any of the existing breeds. In this
way stock of all kinds is. improved,
new and pure bloods-@re- introd need.
emulation and enterprise are excited,
and improvements take place.
A given amount of food will pro-
duce more beef, pork, mutton, wool,
DC, than it would twenty years since,
while it requires far less labor to raise
feed for animals, owing to the i'm
provements in implements and pro-
cesses of cultivation.
Let us look at the history of those
States and counties where Fairs are
well sustained. We find the citizens of
such States and countries have increas-
ed in wealth and intelligence, through
the Influence of the Fairs. That the
value of real estate, of animals, of i'm
provelnents in the arts of husbandry,
as we'll as the various mechanical bran
ches, have been almost in direct ratio
to the interest taken in these exhibit
tions.
We well know our State and County
Fairs have been useful. They have
contributed to the progress of agri
cultural improvement throughout the
country. Thousands have visited
progress. The improvements which
have been made in everything connect
ed with farming operations can plain
ly be seen in every agricultural com
munity, and better character of farm
ing is maintained
Many of our citizens take wrong
view of he real intentions of Agricul-
tural Fairs. Each one is apt to think
that his neighbor must take something
to the Fair to exhibit, while he or she
is only invited to go to pay the gate
fee and see and examine what is there
The consequence of such a state of
things is a small show OF agricultural
products and home manufactures
This is all wrong. Every member
and eUery farmer and mechanic IN the
| country ought to be q meD1ber-should
bring something Of his or her growth
or manufacture. Every man who has
articles worthy of exhibition, or who
has the ability to attend the Fair him
self, is accountable to that extent for
the success of the Society. Let us
take hold of this in earnest and in the
right way, and we shall see a marked
improvement in the value of our farms
and farm produces. Let every land =
holder and mechanic produce and
bring to the Fair something of real
value, having some points of excel
lcnce, and the best he has or can
produce under the circumstances. He
will then feel a personal interest il
the Fair.
I is out of the power of any Board
of Managers to make a Fair success
without the co. operation fthe people.
There should be hearty, healthy in
terest in the mind of every farmer in
the county for the successful carrying
out of everything which is for the
good of his County Society
Every farmer should take pride in