Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-14
AGRICULTURAL.
REFLECTIONS AFTER THE FAIRS.

REFLECTIONS AFTER THE FAIRS.
4 correspondent of the country Gen
UemaH writes as follows:
have had occasion this fall to visi
numerous local, county and State fairs
and have been led to think, from observa
tions made at them, that the average ag
ricyittural fair of the present day is moi
doing for the farming community what i
cught to, in the way of educating the
people to be better farmers-to observe
the best ways Of cultivating the soil, what
improved machinery to use, and to exhibit
their productions.
As | understand il, agricultural fairs
were instituted to be educators of the
people It was supposed that by making
exhibits of the best stock, improved fruits
and machinery, farmers would be stimu-
lated TO renewed zeal in their calling. II
was for this purpose that annual shows
we're held and premiums offered, and ull
this suppositi0n Legislators were induced
to vote cnd0wments. 1t was reasoned
that no man. however obtuse, could at
tend one Of these fairs and come away
without having gained some knowledge
which lie would be induced TO put into
practical use But 10 the facts bear out
the case, and are our fairs fulfilling the
purposes for which they were intended?
1t was customary in this section, Con
necticut in the days Of our fathers, to
devote one day to the holding of an an
nual fair. at which the best stock, largest
oxen, steers, etc, were shown, and the
biggest pumpkins and squashes carried
off the premiums. Many used TO buy
AMI sell. TO match steers, and while the
men talked, the wives and daughters visit
ed All Invent home feeling well paid for
the trouble How is 1t now? Is it with
the idea Of showing a good pair of steers,
or a well-broken colt, that our farmers
lads attend, or is it just to have a good
time, the same as when you go to II CIR
Gus?
The fact Is, that our fairs i'll many cases
are considered 10y farmers as places at
which they can ''recreate." The day is
looked forward TO as Il time when We can
see life. and no thought is entertained
Of making any show of their labor or
stock, because (they reason) ''even if we
had the best those III the ring would
carry away the premiums. There may
be no justice in this last remark, but ii is
fact that at our prominent fairs and ex-
hibits of various kinds are made by men
whose faces have been seen for wears past,
and who usually have carried of good
share of premiums.
1t is SAID 10y the managers Of our best
paying fairs that a purely agricultural
fair Of itself cannot be made to pay eX-
penses. In order to foot the bills, they
resort to numerous devices which amuse
the people and bring money into the
treasury of the society They recognize
81, 81 -, g 81, E I.
unused that the people come, and i'll
order to ''amuse" them they admit all
kinds of travelling fakirs, wheels of for
tune. and ''soap" men to say nothing of
making a prominence Of the horse-trot,
which is supposed to be in the interests
of scientific agriculture
Who Is to blame for this state Of things?
| say, the managers Of the fairs They
have catered TO a depravod taste SO long
that they in many cases cannot discrimin-
ate between what Is elevating and what is
immoral in its tendency. They ought to
lie men who will guide public opinion in
these matters, and not be carried away bv
the voice Of a few. Many of our best |
farmers have been, and are so Disguised |
with these Objectionable features. that |
they have withdrawn their patronage al |
together
If our local fairs are to live. and to be |
a good to the community in which they |
are placed, there must be III many cases II |
radical revision Of the premium lists |
Many Of them give too great promi- |
Hence to things for which but men can
compete, or to things which are objec- /
tiOnable In themselves The premiums |
Offered for the agricultural horse-trot,
IN many cases are equal to the amount |
offered for all the other features together. |
4 great deal Of the loss of interest in
the purely agricultural part of fairs may .
be ascribed 10 the fact that exhibiting at |
fairs has gotten to be n regular business |
on the part of n few prominent breeders
and manufacturing establishments II .
cost money and time to establish herd |
Of thoroughbred animals, and the fact .
that many Of our societies offer special
pnzes to such animals, induces their own
ers to take them from place to place, to
compete and advertise them, thus coming
INTO competition with home intert SITS
which our iDcai fairs ought to foster. |
believe IN thoroughbred stock, but let the
premiums be given TO them ON their mar
lis, and not on their pedigree know Of
grades which for practical purposes are
better than the full bloods whv exclude
them from competition ? This, however.
Is but a suggestion to increase inter st in
th" FeTicHiiural part Of our fairs w
have fairs at which but few Objectionable
features are admitted Let us make them
all so. We should advocate the with
drawal Of all State aid from societies
which depend on these Objectionable fea-
lures to pay expenses, and giving it 10
those societies which have II Legitimate
show. This would weed out some whose
loss would not be felt II might result ia
more practical good
II would be profitable oofler premiums
for the best collection Of grasses, or for
specimens Of destructive insects, or for
those beneficial to agriculture things Of
this kind which would induce the Young
to investigate also premiums for the
best quarter Of an acre of corn raised by
a boy, or for the best garden of that size.
etc. We must take a new departure if
good IS to he accomplished.