Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-09-13
Fr0m Iho V011Il UonIIcman7
County FairS.--Their True Object.


1t is getting to be question whether the
management Of county fairs is kept as closely
as It should be to the objects for which the
fairs were organized The proiessed object Of
such societies is to promote improvement
but the more apparent objects and effects arc
much more likely to check than to induce az.
ricultural improvement 4 good show Of the
best horses for the various useful purposes for
which horses are kept, is well calculated to
promote Improvement in this, the most useful
animal kept on the farm. But an exciting
race or trot very generally works the other
way. The improvement Of the more useful
qualities Of the horse is lost sight Of by the
people, and the main questions thought Of are
how high are the premiums who has taken
them, and who has won or lost money on the
race. Then. the higher the premium, and the
more celebrated, or, | should say, the more
notorious the horses that compete. the greater
will be the excitement the heavier the bet.
ting, and the more deletcrious the general
effect. Then, with the very large premiums
given for trotting and the very moderate ones
on all animals and articles that may be shown
to promote improvement farmers are hecom-
ing Indifferent, and care very little about try
ing to get up a good show
The reason given for taking this course is
that it is said to be necessary in order TO get
good turn out The success Of the society
Is made to depend upon large attendance
and heavy receipts, and there is little concern
u. ~ "ne'ucF nlu'u Is uonc 10 promote ''n-
PIy'S'ueu' OF mol II 'here lS a great lfo'
anu ARG a''Snlance' no matter no" neagre
Tue snow IN otner respects tue Iair Is called
" er'a' SuvoesS' 40" tn'' Is wrong II 'he
o'ye.' W 'uo 'Ooi''y % " Pro"o'e Improve
~, ny 49, y. wv ill' u'I'uu' uIoI
~" VIZ '.u 'nOio"su'y '''s O'l'c' 'S u"'I'eI
0u'' iOi ins'uuoe' que 'nousauu 'ar'ncIs ana
S'',',, WV i,u1 nv soou 'Auiol''on a'u rep
~. $3.50 " , n 'a''ou' u''"1'' VI mus
ny PurSu'u III 'no county anu mus WIN tne
~, pcn ~ su .1 a. may a''onu' 'eali@e
800 wiz ~ 'oi n'oIo 70 promote improve
un'u' '"a" 10 uoue al any Ia" where 'here Is
ga ''e' anu h'.le 'lSe' however grea' Inc
Ups " 'nu 'u,'oI n'y w. inueeu' Tue
- ~ =. VI '"' OuV wiz W i"'o,apc'
~ v'.o' " T, 'I"r ''.V"Sy III
."t VPpos''e u,'eV'lon in'' peins 'ne case
- = ,''le ''lsIe wa Vnaugo III TINS respect
In -, '""' al = 'eHus ., Improvement cop'onu
va. aa1-e.' uoes no' u'penI upon very large
.eoelp'l ~ matter no" Vo,aineu nut upon
'is ~ useiu'ues, anu u'iilty o, 'ne ialr'
ne annur' auuress snou'u ne delivered by
'liinv'' r'sry o'net occupation mat Or
kluiaes uuu nV'u' lo't' or meetings Tor
cement selec's one oil Tue pest men en-
Sas'u III ''a' Occupation 10 u'llVer the al
uiess' NOW why shouiu not farmers DO the
sane mere Is no laeS OF competent men
-,nose 'na' are ape 10 furnish good, useful
anI ins'iuo'iT We, auuress' why not secure
sesn inen WY get hC'eu-loo oiteh noto,
l.YuSI po.iuc'Snsi or why get noted men OF
;ri? '.ass .lS' KNOW out niue ABOUT farming
inis II not tue pest way 70 promote agrlcul'
10, Improvement ior Tue less there is SAD
~ ~ '1iniing anu 'he more ABOUT something
e.se, 'ne greater If tne tendency TO leave I'M
pio'ea iainli"g ia the Underground ana turn
,1o attention OF farmers TO other matters.
~" .His 70 "v' ,ign' Is not good policy'
-, e"o "a" snouiu DC useful so snoulu the
I"an W instructive 1t shoalu DC calcn-
'1'eu 70 promote Improvement IN some branch
u iarhing tna' Is practlced by the farmers
plesvn'' ms Is the only way to promote
nv oDJe'cs set 'or'n IN tae constitution, or Tor
why" a lar snoulu DC nelu'
Mo' a,raugeu u'seuss'on' on Tue last
uay' m'g"' a,so DC maze valuable feature OF
'"o 'Sn' ms discussion snould relate to
ao"'V 'e"u'ns ''uuon oi farming IN Whlch TIE