The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1873-01-04

Fronr the southern Farm and Home, Memphis.
About state and County Eai1,ss
mss
Mr.. EpToR-During the past few days
| have visited a number Of the Agricultural
Fairs in the Southern States, all the way
from beyond tho Potomac to away down
IN Dixie must say ! have been very
much disappointed, and am compelled to
believe TINT these Falrs are no longer cal
culated 70 elect the purpose FOR which they
are designed Either they are on wrong
plan, and the people will not support them,
or the interest ID agricultural and mechan-
.ical displays II becoming small by degrees
aud beautifully less" Certain tits, that the
Fairs this year were generally failures, il
success IS to pc measured by the number
and variety Of articles exhibited, and by tho
number Of visitors. There were eyceptionsI
but they were very few
have Tong been OF the opinion, Mr.. Ed
itor, that the big annual State Fairs are a
mistake, because they do not and cannot
reach the agricultural masses. The farmers
Of Maryland cannot afford either the time
or the money TO go to Baltimore and spend
weeksthere, to see the Fair. No matter
what Efforts the Intelligent and enterprising
managers Of tue Agricultural Society may
make, no matter how successful they may
be in inducing exhibitors to display tho
FRUITS Of their skill, the condition Of the
iarmer, as mass, renders it impossible for
them to visit the show prepared for their
benefit. And 50 II s with all these big
Fairs. The managers play to beggarly
account Of empty benches. The crowd
whose aggregated fractional currency pays
for the performance. is wanting the eXhib-
itors fail to reach the people who buy their
goods, and the Whole thing Is Q failure and
the Society loses largely.
Now sir, am Ia iavor OF doing away al
together with the big State Fairs. They
are too big, Small people cannot afford !
them. The State Agricultural Societies
are endeayorlng to promote improved agri.
culture, encourage mechanical skill and ir-
ventlon, and ditigse prosperity and comfort
among our people. Their mission is o no
BILE one and they can accomplish it If they
viii adopt the right means. Suppose that
instead OF one big state Fair, withits cost
" buildings, large premium list, ,andsyasb
outlay OF money, they determine TO spend
Their means ~ encouraging County or
neighborhod FAIRS, which all classes OF tho
people cun afford TO intend, and will attend,
and WHITTIER the farmers will bring their pro-
duoe and their stock, and the farmers wives
and daughters Will bring their butter, honey
4 poultry ana needleWork, they will then
reach the class they want to improve, and
| VIII dlifuse an interest IN Exhibitions Of the
KIND which VIII soon pervade the whole
| state, and achieve the desired object.
II is possible that at such small fairs the
Northern manufacturers may not at first
EXHIBIT as largely as they DO at the state
Fairs. The mechanical display may notbe
as rich or as various, but let these exhibitors
once De assured that by attending the coun-
| " lalrs they can reach the people who buy
thelr machines and motions in other
words, That NJ VIII pay TO exhibit there, and
you may rely upon it that they will
/ come. Inc hrst thing TO ho done. bowey-
/ ef, rs TO reach the agrlcultnrsts, make them
take an interest IN fairs, get them tocom-
pete ior the premiums, and comprehend that
the spirit 1t friendly rivalry thus Awakened
conduees 70 their enlightenment and mates
rial prosperity. Tins can be done on asmall
scale at iirst, and alter . while the compe-
S.'on 10y ~ onla' 'teu' Duo ~ iesui'S
lnuSs Dulshv conseiu1uee oi shiaii pegin-
nlDgs. You must teach the alphabet before
you can teach TO read We need primary
iAlrs, n9t university i1irs; Hsta6lish and
FOSTER the FORMER ana the latter VIII follow.
Leu tne state society be tlie patron aud Wis
itor oi the Caolnty Societies, bend all hor
energies 70 their encouragement, and deyote
her means 70 promote the county Fairs, aban.-
doning, for the present at least, the annual
state Ears. feel confident that thelmass.
es ol laGmers share my opinions, and thatit
the Siate Societles wlsh to attain their
lTyoWed OBJECT they must change their sys-
TEN. they mustcone to the farmer before
they can persuade the farmer % come to
them. Every year the great tannual lnirs have
been Less and lessr successtlh This is not
attributable 70 any iack o. energy or earnest
effort on the part Of the managers, but SIM