The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-21
.cu,CvtuTStRnu FAIRS.


Rutland county agricultural society have
been held in Rutland. In certain respects
both of these fairs may be called sue
cesses. The weather was all that could
have been asked for the stock, on exhibit
ton, could not be surpassed in the world
the display of agricultural implements
showed the inventive genius of the Yankee;
the fruits of the soil were above the aver
age the horses were of good breed and
displayed, for the occasion, commendable
heetness and, without partlcuarizing
farther, the attendance was large-proba-
bly, as large as was expected. Whether
these fairs resulted in pecuniary benefit
to the treasures of the respective societies,
or whether, on the contrary, the eypendi-
lures for premiums and other unavoidable
expenses exceeded the receipts, we will
not stop to inquire, as, in one sense, it is of
no consequence what is lost one year being
generally made up the next. All these
matters aside. do these exhibitions or fairs
answer the object of their establishment !?
Do these societies accomplish that which
they hoped and expected to In the Ian
guage of the constitution of one of the
societies referred to, their object is d" the
- improvement of agricultural produc-
- tons. useful domestic manufactures and
" mechanic arts Is this attained After
more than two decades of years, in each
and every of which fairs and exhibitions
have been held, can a single instance he
pointed where the result has been the in
crease of production upon given quantity
OF land of an improvement in stock OF
better butter and cheese being made of
large and better vegetables or fruit intro
duced, or the former product mcasurably
improved or increased -? We doubt not
that Vermont is, to-day, far in advance of
her position in these respects, than She
was twenty-thrcc or twenty-cght years
ago, but it has not been accomplished by
these exhibitions. The founders of these
societies had It in their minds that com
parison of stock and crops, as well as ideas,
NtulNt ltNull Ill iillttdl
mentally and in the products of the soil
If we are correct in our conclusions,
where is the fault and where is the RENE
dy These are both difficult questions to
answer, especially the latter. One thing
is certain, the directors and officers of the
several societies are not in fault. Their
fuc NJ lao hncf IL thanl. lasa my
discharged not only without remuneration,
but, at many times, with actual personal,
pecunialy, loss. We do not forget that the
people, at large, desire to attend these en-
hibitions, not only to see what inay there
be displayed, but, also, for the social enjoy
ment which is found upon all such occa-
sions. In the display of fruits, for instance,
what is the advantage derived thcrcfrom,
save, perhaps, pecuniary reward and adj
vertisement to the exhibitor? And SO it is
with each article all through the list foi
which premiums are offered. Similar cX-
hibitions are held in other states-with not
half the self sacrificing efforts on the par,
of the ofliccrs-and an impetus is thereby
given to agriculture, wool growing and
stock raising in that particular state and
also, throughout the country. Why tho
difference Simply because the state steps
in with her generous aid and makes public
the result of the combined labor ant
thought of her agriculturists. Their pub
locations consist not of mere premium
lists, and their exhibitions are not solel,
monstrostics. The why's and wherefore.
accompany the article on exhibition. The
mode Of cultivation, the seed time and har
vest, accompany the product of the soil
the care of the milk the feed of the COW
and all the different processes pursued il
making butter or cheese accompany that
class of articles discussions of topic'
thereby raised take place, and these are al
published and distributed by the munifi
cencc of the state. 1t is for this reason
that agricultural fairs are SO successful il
Maine, Massachusetts, New York Ohio
Michigan and elsewhere. They
commenced under no better au
spices than did Vermont, but they
have bccn wisely fostcred and the fruits Of
their labors given to the world. In al
these states, each tar can point to the ben
efts conferred thereby, while in Vermont
aside from the social pleasures, what has
been the result ? The cause and remedy
may, perhaps, be suggested in what We
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of the farmer.