Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-20
agricultural.
Attending Fairs.

As the time for annual agricultural fairs
approaches, farmers begin to debate and con-
slider question that should have been decided
long ago, namely, a." Does it pay to go to the
fairs?" 1t seems odd and almost improbable
to those who are in the habit of availlDg
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 90 to any
thing more than local fair of the neighbor-
hood or town, but who claim it does not pay
for the average farmer to spend two or three
days and 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 be-
cause they do not quite approve OF the undue
prominence given to trials of speed, or be-
cause incompetent or dishonest judges some
times pervert justice in awarding prizes.
Does it really pay for farmer to tr vel
fifty or hundred miles from his home (at hall
fart) and be absent for one night, perhaps.
or even two, for the sake of visiting an agri-
cultural exhibition, such as is held in each o
the New Engl4nd States every year? What
10 the use OF such trip with its cost oil
eight or ten dollars in money and time?
10 the first place it is good for the farmer
to leave his work, even 1t it be for brief
and hasty trip, to get away among different
scenes, to look on other farmers and see the
focks grazing on what may he to him strange
lands, to breathe different air, unbend from
labor and care and let the hard muscles re-
lax. The blood courses with a freer current
and the pulse throbs with new life. Ii clears
the brain, and sets it to work with pew i'm
pulse. 1t does a man good mentally, moral
ly and physically to do all this, especially il
he has something to look forward to, some
OBJ CT TO go for.
Then the farmer sees something OF farm
crops, the bee hive and the sugar orchard; be
examines improved farm stock be has Ia
oIable opportunity to inspect lab,r saving
Implements for bis benefit. lie meets and
makes the acquaintance Of other farmers, and
learns what they are doing and in what IT s.
pect they are doing better than be. He hear
OF new methods and Of ways of overcome =
difficulties that he has met. He is consta' t.
accumulating material for thought and study
and discussion, a fund that Will last tor many
months. He is receiving hints that will pro-
woke inquiry and investigation. He must
have dull perceptions il be lees not gain IN
one way and another enough to pay him over
and over all that it will cost. He must be a
farmer of little ambition and small enterpr Sc
if he does not make some Paying improve
ment in his farming as the results OF that
small outlay; even it everything is not man
aged Just as he would do, 1t need not mar
his Ell joyment or interfere with the profit he
may derive in several ways. And if he is
the witness of a trial OF speed which make-
bis nerves Jingle as the clean-limbed stud
hy past like an arrow 90 the home stretcu'
or if he hears some spouting politician ex-
hiblt his ignorance of farming in an - agrI
cultural address," it is hoped that he will
suffer no permanent harm in consequence
We do not advise farmers to spend half the
autumn in going to lars to the neglect OF
home duties. But We do say that farmers,
many farmers, are in the old ruts wi ere
they have moved too long, and need stirring
up.
1t intelligence, enterprise, ambition and a
knowledge of the progress that is being made
round about US will pay, then it pays to visi,
our fairs.