The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-08-22
Agricultural Fairs, Trotting and PIow.
ing Matches.
From the american Farmer

Mr. Crozier, a well-known farmer of
Long Island, New York, in a letter to
the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN says he finds
"a good deal concerning horses raised
for speed, but far less for the horse
which produces the staff Of life for man
and beast" and continues:
please turn the attention of your
readers occasionally to horses bred for
agricultural purposes-a class which
should have prominent place. Give
him chance to rise in the estimation
which be we'll deserves as meriting
greater attention from farmer than the
swift trotter.
Next, give US blowing match next
Fall-prizes to be awarded as follows:
l. For the best plowed acre under
the rules of the Highland Agricultural
Society of Scotland, large gold medal,
worth $l00; 9, Silver medal or cup,
worth SIS; 8, Silver medal or money,
$50; 4, Cash prize, $25; S, Cash prize
$40. | will pledge myself to raise the
necessary funds ($2GW to pay the prizes
on the day of the match. Give an
open field the first year. l hope you
will consider this over, and not drop it.
If carried out successfully, it will &C
complish more for the young men of
the State than all the horse trots that
can be got up"
The editor replies, in substance, that
the larger interest is taken in trotting
horses because of the apparent deter
mination of farmers to breed in that
direction, but promises his earnest CO.
operation in promoting increased popu-
larity in agricultural horses" As to
the Flowing Matches, he says he has
often expressed surprise and chagrin
that they have never been naturalized
on American soil that the New York
Society for long period held annual
matches during its shows, but they ex-
cited little attention and the work done
was of SO little credit, while the pro-
gress of time seemed to bring no pro-
gress either in competition or in work
manship-that the effort was abandon
ed. The liberal offer is made of sub
scription of $50, towards the amount
named by Mr.. Crozier, in case the
matches are revived
In the same paper of two weeks later
date we find the following letter, which
from the initials, will be recognized as
from the President of our own State
Society:
ain the COUNTRY GENTLEMAN of
June 25th, the suggestion of Mr.. Gro
zier, and your liberal response, for more
prominence to the farm horses Gas con-
tradistinguished from trotting and race
horses) and blowing matches, is timely
and important. A small effort in that
direction was made by the executive
committee of the Maryland State Agri-
cultural Association at its recent ses-
sion, by placing the premium for the
best farm stallion ON an equal footing
with that for the best blooded stallion
($l00 for each), and by increasing the
premium for oxen from $50 to 500,
divided into three classes-frst pre-
MUM, $50; second, $50; third $40
At the fairs held in this State, fifty
years ago, the blowing match was THE
feature of the exhibition, witnessed and
patronized by the foremost citizens of
the State; but of late years, for want
of space near large cities, or other I'M
explained cause, the trial of the pillow,
the most important invention of man
for subduing the earth, has been super
seeded by trotting matches, scrub races
and mountebank shows This argues
a degeneracy in the management of
agricultural fairs, for the correction of
which Mr.. Crozier's suggestion and
your response are most excellent, and
worthy of consideration and adoption
The horse is a noble animal-teo i'm
portant to the farm and the road to be
overlooked or ignored. But when all
qualities and uses are thrown in the
background except for the turf and the
trotting circle, it shows vitiated taste,
and want of appreciation of the many
uses for which the horse was intended,
and to which he is adapted and indis-
pensable. therefore hail with salts
faction movement, with your endorse
ment and approval, for reform in the
and mode of conducting
our agricultural fairs. If these fairs
cannot be conducted without such
vicious and extraordinary aids, then it
is time to consider whether their period
of usefulness has not passed, and wheth-
er they had not better be less frequent,
if not altogether abandoned"
BLACK TOOTH IN PIGs.-A cores
pendent of an exchange says The