The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-09-02
Does il Pay for Farmers to Attend the
Fairs!

As the time for annual agricultural
fairs approaches, farmers begin to debate
and consider a question that should have
been decided long ago, namely does it
pay to go to the fairs ?" 1t seems odd
and almost improbable to those who are
in the habit Of availing themselves of the
benefits afforded by these gatherings, that
any farmer can question the advantage to
be derived from them. There is a large
class who not only do not go to anything
more than Il local fair Of the neighbor-
hood or town, but who claim that it does
not pay for the average farmer to spend
two or three days, and a few dollars in
the year in looking at the results of the
labors Of other farmers and breeders, and
informing himself Of the progress that
has been made. Others still, who we
know stay away from the fairs because
they do not quite approve Of the undue
prominence given to traits of speed, or
because incompetent or dishonest judges
sometimes p%erverts justice in awarding
prizes.
Does it really pay for a farmer to
travel fifty or q hundred miles from his
home lat half fare) and be absent for one
night, perhaps, or even two, for the sake
Of visiting an agricultural exhibition such
as is held in each Of the New England
States every year? What is the use Of
such a trip, with its cost of eight or ten
dollars in money and time?
In the first place it is good for the
farmer to leave his work, ever if it be fol-
a brief and hasty trip, to get away among
different scenes, to look on other farmers
and see the herds and aocks grazing on
what may be to him strange lands, to
breathe a different air, unbend from la.
Dor and care and let the hard muscles
relax. The blood courses with a freer
current and the pulse throbs with new
life. 1t clears the brain, and sets it to
work with a new impulse. 1t does a mar
good mentally, morally and physically to
do all this, especially if he has something
to look forward to, some object to 60 for
Then the farmer sees something of farm
c;ops, the bee hive, and the sugar orch.
ard he examines improved farm stock
he has a favorable opportunity to inspect
labor saving implements for his benefit
He meets and makes the acquaintance o.
other farmers, and learns what they are
doing and in what respect they are doing
better than he. He hears of new meth
DDS and Of ways Cor overcoming Difficult
ties which he has met. He is constantly
accommodating material for thought anc
study and discussion, n fund that viii
last for many months. He is receiving
hints that will provoke inquiry and in
vestigation. He must have dull percep
lions if he does not gain in one way ant
another enough to pay him over an(
over for all that it will cost. He mus
be a farmer Of little ambition and small
enterprise if he does not make some pay
ing improvement in his farming as thu
results Of that small outlay even if ev
erything is not managed just as he woult
do, it need not mar his enjoyment or in
terfcre with the profit he may derive il
various ways. And if he is the witnes
of a trial of speed which makes his nerve
tinge as the clean.limbed studs fly pas
like an arrow on the home stretch" o
if he hears some spouting politician ex
hibit his Ignorance of farming in an az
r%icultural address, it is hoped that he viii
suffer no permanent harm in consequence
We do not advise farmers 10 spend hal
the autumn in going to fairs to the neg
lect of farm duties. But we do say tina
farmers, many farmers, are in the OIL
ruts where they have moved too long,an'
need stirring up.
Intelligence, enterprise, ambition an
a knowledge of the progress that is bein
made round about us will pay, then
pays to visit our fairs. -Record and Fan
mer.