The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-20
Thes.Rntlaatl 1ailu Glohe.
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 30. 1875.
[from the Boston Journal
EVERY DAD THOUGHTS ABOUT EVERY
DAY WORK.
By a Young Farmer.

tural society in Rhode Island | did not
expect to see anything very remarkable,
and did not. It was very creditable
exhibition for a first attempt, and if the
farmers take an interest in supporting the
society it may reasonably hope to exert
considerable influence in advancing the ag-
ricutural interest, and in improving the
methods of cultivation, of which there is
sufficient need in the county. But in
many respects it was fair sample of such
county shows, and what l have to say will
apply to most of them, and also to some of
the more pretentious state fairs.
The first thing almost that caught my
attention after 1 entered the fair grounds
was the remark uttered by some one near
me at the poultry stand, "What do they
bring such chickens here to exhibit for ?
| have got better looking ones in my yard.
l longed to ask the speaker why they had
not been brought, if they were so fine, for
the ones he was looking at were really good
specimens. Perhaps if the speaker had had
his chickens there, 80 that a fair compar-
ison might have been made, he might have
been able to see their faults, and so he
would have learned something about chick
ems that he will never learn upon his farm
or in his own yard. | also heard similar
remarks at the cattle pen later in the day
regarding some Of the stock.
/ scarcely know which | most dislike,
those who attend show to find fault with
all that is on exhibition, and praise their
own stock which is not brought and which
they dare not bring, no matter how loudly
they may praise it when it is out of sight Of
the listener, or tho ones who at first start
of new society hold back and wait and
see what success the society will have be-
fore they identify themselves with it. They
want somebody else to start the train, and
when it gets well under way they are will
ing to push or pull, or to go as passengers.
heard one lady say that she would have
brought something to show in the hall if
she had thought the show would have
amounted to anything, but she had no idea
they would make out anything. | would
have liked to ask her what she thought the |
fair would have been if everybody had |
waited to see that it was going to be sue |
cess before they had decided to bring any |
thing. Yet there are great many of that |
class in almost every county and town, and |
they are dead weights in the starting of |
any new enterprise. They may give lit |
tie force after the machine is running, but |
they retard the starting.
Another thing which did not suit my |
fancy was the awarding premiums so gen.
orally to articles particularly vegetables) |
on account of the sze OF specimens shown |
without any regard to the circumstances |
under which they are grown or selected for |
exhibition. Ii l have II hundred bushels |
&C I nor splact from tbap, q I'm aha1 |
which will beat any bushel that my neigh
Dor may select from his twenty bushels, al
though it may be that his crop is much bet
ter than mine, and | only gain by having a |
larger quantity to select from. In this con- |
nection an extract from the Kansas Far
mer will express my IDEAS better than can |
do it myself:
"The idea of giving a premium upon Il
monstrous pumpkin, or melon, or yeget-
able of any kind having nothing to recon-
mend it but extraordinary growth, which
may not be anything more than an accident,
is about as sensible as il would be to award
the American fat girl, weighing 800 pounds
a premium as the best woman. EXagger-
ated growths of corn or any crop do not
necessarily represent good culture or in
telligent farming any more than an unus-
ually fat animal represents good breeding.
What we want in our fairs is an award up
ON intelligent. profitable culture and suc-
cessful breeding and feeding. The pre-.
miums must he given for the sense that
produces. the care and Judgment and skill
of the individual. and not to the thing it.
self
The breeder who can show high grade
steer which Mt two or three wears old can
be sold for more profit than two or three
scrubs of the same age. has done more for
the farmers of the state than the man who
shows the monstrous premium fat steers.
the cost of which he does not know. and
the profit of which cannot possibly be dem
onstrated. The wheat or Vegetable grower
does something of more practical utility for
his country when he intelligently can show
profitable culture for each acre Than ali the
monstrous prowths exhbted at fairs And
tbi, brings MS To The remark. which. while
not catering TO the dear people.' il vet
true and If ia tins VIZ That so long as
public sentiment demand monstrosities' 40
long as fat and size are necessary in tho
show rims. 90 long will preminm lists of
fairs ignore ;ntelliSept and nrofitahle cuI.
tnre and breed;ng
Let me add In this a surgestion that the
should he Instructed to award
M nremiums for fat or size unless some
statement is made Of the method NV which
such extra Growth has been attained. that
farmers NAV have some chance to learn how
TO 90 and do likewise. if il will nav TO do
so. Also that some discrimination shoold
be made in offering the premiums. 10 en-
COURAGE these branches of flaming which
are most natural and most likely TO prove
profitable in that section. If we are fully
decided that what will not be profitable
crop in Massachusetts, or Rhode Island.
unless it be upon occasional farms and in
exceptional seasons, and that four times ont
of five an attempt to grow it would prove
wheat raising Dy oier premium
ions nr son,e irons nat vii I've noarlv s"ro
to Weld profit If rightly managed.
| see that some of the papors are making
lols OF lun OF Inc cog snow ana dog preini-