Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-08-09
HINTS ABOUT FAIRS.


desirable and its encouragement
legitimate duty of an Agrieultur
Society. There are two provision
we would put to this, however. Pr
vided, first, the premiums be grade
at sOmethingnear the value of a hors
as compared with other animals. 10
practical purposes. The premium
offered for the best tTOtter should b
based on the commercial value ofths
hOrse-ROt for rdeing-but for bugg
horse. An Agricultural Society ha
no business encouraging the prOduC
tion of professional racers. Say a first
! class, fast roadster is worth $500. !
first-class, blooded COW is worth SIS
or $500. Base premiums somewha
on those relative values. When yOl
offer $50 for the horse and only 81
for the COW you are showing favOrit
ism to one branch of production AM
diseouraging another. If the cow i
offered only $40, give the horse onl,
SIS or $50. Suppose it don't draw "fas
horses to the fair; we don't wan
professional racers and jockeys.
Secondly, shape the programme il
such q way that no competitive trial
of speed shall be allowed. Speed you
horses and time them, but let there
be no no racing between horses. 81
much for the equines.
If there could be some fair reliable
test instituted as to the better-prOdu-
cling capacity of dairy cows, it ought
to be done. Premiums offered for The
largest quantity Of butter produced
from one milking of one cow would
test the real merits of dairy cows
What we are after in 8 mileh COW is
not symetTy, or the marks" of fancy
breeds, but butter. The best-looking
cows, such as are taken to fairs, are
not, as a rule, the best mixers, and
therefore do not represent the best
dairy stock of the country. Some
scrawny "scrubn of a native is gener-
ally the best COW in the herd. These
are not the ones brought to fairs
Some plan ought to be cOntrived, il
possible, to get these, or their achiev-
ments, out.
We hav'nt really got down to the
point in encouraging the production
of dairy stock. We have been work.
ing for looks and not for works; for
fancy breeds and not for practical re-
suits. In this connection we may say
that milch coSs ought to be judged
on their capacity, and not alone on
their external points. To award pre-
miums to cows by inspecting them as
we do fat cattle, oxen or bulls, ignores
the real test of cows, viz: their butter
or cheese-producing qualities We
as any reliably system
could be devised to make such prae-
ticaI test regarding cows. We COM
mend the question to the careful con-
Of the officers and Of dairy
men.
We think it would be well if the
officers would arrange their lists so
hat more premiums be offered on
some articles-say cows, bulls, farm
horses, butter, &c. If there are six or
eight chances, instead of two or three,
will not enough more contestants feel
encouraged to compete to make up
he difference to the Society? A man
Who owns q good animal is proud OF
{ and don't like to take it to fair
md have it passed by-as all but two
n three must be passed by, if there
re only two or three premiums. He
loes not care so much about being
irSt, as he does to get some reeogni-
ion of the merits OF his stock. If
here are more premiums there will
,e fewer disappointed ones and the
Judges can award much more salts
aetorily. 1t might be well to offer
be usual premiums and authorize the
ldges to award a certain number Of
premiums, in limited
mount.
Why can we not have some new
satures in Floral Hall2 We are tired |
f this endless patchwork and tidy |
usiness Floral Halls have been de-
oted largely to that ever since Eve
OF up the patchwork of leaves
We not only object to it because it's
Id and stale but because it eneoura-
es a sinful waste of time. We have
o admiration for q quilt that has its
liIlion of stitches, and enough time,
lbor and back-ache wrapped up in to
lake hundreds of sufferers eomforta
lie if practically expended We are
/ favor of 1Tlilg, instead Of reward
lg any woman who thus squanders
er time.
In place OF premiums for these
antics let US have a ddTni9g and
exhibition such as was got
N up last winter in the American
gricuLtlrdlist Office and which made
ieh a furore, Or, contest in piano
laying by pupils below certain age.
r, offer good premiums for the best
lade plain shirt, and other Of the
1zens of garments needed for USE
fer q prize for the best original
ltterns for ehildren's garments Of
fferent kinds. A dozen new ideas
light be brought out to give life and
lterest to the Hall. The effort should
! to cultivate domestic economy and
Iventive genius in the house. We
ant something practical-nOt these
bed-quilts on which
me silly woman has worn away
te-time to no use. Let the mana
us call in the women and we wager
ley'll get up programme for Floral
all that will have a feature or two
it that they didn't have before the
lgrims landed.
If you want little fun, withRl, get
D an old-fashioned spelling match,
open to all who will enter"
Last year there was only one loaf Of
cad and two of cakes entered and
iey were not eft to set before S king.n
ell, no matter. We want something
from that, too. No one knows
no makes the bread sent in by 'girls
lder 16 years of age" Can not the
anagers furnish three or four cook
Oves with cooking utensils and ma
rials to get up modest meal with,
ID offer premiums for the beat meal,
liekest got ready. Enclose the
tchens so that girls can work unem-
rrassed. Let each One'get up what
e pleases for a meal. Let there be !
'ur, steak, potatoes, coffee &c, pro- ,
ded. At least a competition could
gotten up in some one article Of
Okery: say biscuit, or making Of
flee, or cooking of steak. Why
ould not our girls have the advan-
ge of competition in cookery and Z
arm what others ''know about cook !
q" as well as the men having all
e advantages. Cooking is ten times
deserving of encouragement as
ly making. Just for once, leave ,
{ the premiums on fancy bed-quilts !
d give the money TO the cooks. 1t :
II, we believe, make great hit. !
Why are blacksmiths never given I
chance to show what they knew )
out shoeing.horses? ? That is a me- :
anic art in which farmers are much :
terested. Put a forge on the ground \
d pay a good premium to the iarrier +
10 will make and set shoe quick Z
and best. +
Fhe editor of the Elulira Aduertiser