The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-01-16

ing that you have never had an Aericultu
mi Society, or that you find it necessary TO
plead with your people to keep up with the
march Of improvement all around them
Hammer away, Mr.. Editor, until your coun-
trymen, in very selfdefencc, will be COMPEL.
ed to take this necessary step for the promo
ton ofther own domestic interests and indus
tries.
For your encouragement let me tell Won
little OF the effects Of an agricultural society
in Washington county, Va, where | reside.
This county is about the size of yours, with
about half the population, and less than half
as much tillable land. Although several at.
tempts had been made in Years gone by to
establish a permanent Agricultural and Me
chanical Society, the effort was never entirely
successful until last year-and then without
the necessary buildings and upon ground
Jorr0aoed for the occasion During all this
time however, there was u neighborhood So
ciety in a remote part of the county, and the
improvement in that neighborhood was SO
perceptible that spirit of progress was in
fused into all the more intelligent people, and
this year, as the legitimate fruit, we had a dis
play that surpassed all hope and all expcc,a-
tionS. A few of the more enerprising of our
farmers and others in the county determined
10 have county organization on the Joint
stock principle-$25 per sharc-and went to
work in solid earnest. They organized about
q year ago, and received from the Legislature
an act of incorporation. They then purchas-
ed, within fourth of mile of the corporate
limits of Abingdon, % acres ofland, for which
they paid 500 per acre This they enclosed
with close plank fence seven feet high,
erected Il building with elevated seats caDa-
bic of accommodating from 1000 to 200
spectators, shed for stock 300 feet long, di-
vided off into stalls, handsome two story
| octagonal building for the Judges and musi-
clans In addition TO this they graded n
circular track within the enclosure halfa mile
in length, for the purpose of testing the speed
and training of trotting, pacing and racking
hoiseS--and may whisper in your car, for
the purpose, it may be, of testing them in
greater speed
The whole cost was but "a trfe over So ,OOO
and at the first annual meeting in October
last, the receipts at the gates at 25 cents per
head, and the entrance fees for competing
stock, paid the whole expense, besides the
expenditure of several hundred dollars in
premiums. The fair lasted three DAYS, and
even then the people would have insisted
upon prolonsing it, had not the Sabbath in
tervcned. IL brought the great mass of the
people of the county, and Of adjoining coun-
tics together forming more intimate inter-
course between lhem, giving each the benc-
fit Of the experience of Others all bringing
their best productions Of all descriptions. To
say nothing of the splendid stock on cXhibi-
iion, both pedigreed and graded, and the su-
perior specimens of cereals, fruits and vege,a-
bles, the handiwork of the ladies alone would
have given the occasion an interest sufficient
to bring the whole population together here
after.
With the experience our people now have,
they would not be without their annual fair
for three times the amount the grounds have
cost them and am very sure your people
are better able to bear the outlay, and know
| do not tlatter them when | say that YOUR
farmers have higher intellectual culture Than
ours, and are better versed in scientific farm
| ing.
! Our society here has started our farmers
and mechanics into improvements they had
rot dreamed of before, the effect of which
| will not only be II great incentive to industry
and more intelligent farming, but a pcrpcl.
val mine of wealth to all the people
Urge your people, Mr. Editor, by all means
| 10 organize a county society at once, have an
exhibition next FALL and my word for it,
they will not only regret that they had put
OFT the work so long. but would not be with
out it thereafter under any considerations.
They will cherish it the more fondly the
! longer they experience its benefits, and
always feel grateful to you for your importu-
mites in that behalf
Respectfully,