The Grange advance., 1873-10-15
THE GRANGE ADVANCE,
WEDNESDAY, OCT. Is, 1873.
OUR FAIRS.

OUR FAIRS.
The season Of fairs has come and gone.
The fairs have been held and are with the
past. Some have been we'll attended, at 9th
ers the attendance has been very small
some have had good display while one of
our richest agricultural counties had not
much over dozen articles on their
grounds. Some profit has been derived
from each and all these fairs. The idea
Of Offering premium for the best Of each
kind of products, and then bringing together
the farmers of the whole county to examine
these best products and to compare notes is
q good idea. 1t has a tendency to stimu-
late to efforts for higher excellence in pro-
duction. Then it is sort of object teach
ing, kind of teaching by which all may
be interested and all may learn. Yet it is
to be doubted whether one-tenth of the
profit, interest or pleasure has been gotten
out Of these fairs that is possible and ought
to be realized. 1t is very evident that the
interest is tagging in some places, and in
others horse racing is taking the place Of
what is much more important.
Now these fairs should be made events
Of 80 much Importance as to be looked for
ward to with longing and anticipation,
should result in great profit, and be looked
back to with pleasure They should be
made sort Of agricultural camp meeting,
to which the farmers should come up with
their families for sort Of aesthetical, in
tellectual and physical feast. so to speak.
As so many Of our farmers have entered
the gate and chosen the way Of wisdom,
have learned the dignity Of the calling of
the husbandmsn and how necessary to it
are instruction and knowledge, they should
use every effort to improve these fairs, and
to make them . means Of elevating the cul-
tivstor's calling. imparting and obtaining
should be required to accompany eAch arti-
Gle entered for prize with full state
ment Of the manner of its production. For
illustration, if wheat be entered for prize,
let the sample be accompanied with state
ment Of the quality Of seed sown, and from
whence obtained, the amount sown to the
acre, the kind Of soil and the manner
in which the ground was prepared, the
time and manner Of sowing and harvesting,
tho weight per bushel and the yield per
acre, together with the whole cost per acre
Of producing. Let prizes. and not small,
stingy ones either, be offered for the best
essays on the best and cheapest kinds of
machinery to buy on farm, the best modes
of working and taking care Of the same,
and on other subjects Of interest and profit
to the practical cultivator. Let time be
set apart for the reading Of the essays.
They will be as interesting as harsngue
by some politician or ofice-seeker, and
vastly more profitable. Let the young
people have hand in. Let prizes be Of
fered for the first, second and third best
orations and declamations by scholars from
SA0 puOAAO cSAOOAS' - VIC l0IueTS 0T0
going to take the position in this nation
which belongs to them, they must learn to
speak, to write essays and to debate, and
must teach the same to their children. In
the evenings let bond fires or camp fires be
kindled to shine over The prairies like
beacon lights to drive away the darkness
of the night, fit emblems of the other lights
that have been kindled all over this land
to drive away ignorance, and the time be
taken up in discussions Of agricultural
topics, in exhibitions by the young people.
in songs, music and plays. Let the farm
ers 50 up to these annual feasts, with their
tents and their provisions, prepared to
camp out and make Of these. social family
gatherings Of the laborers. the harvesters
and cleaners in the fields given by the
Great All Father to his children.
Reader, this is no fancy picture. By a
little effort on the part of each one all this
can be accomplished, and when this is done
we shall see an advance in agriculture Of
which even the most hopeful Patron has
never dreamed
HUMBUGS.
A man professedly in the interest of a