The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-10-22
Our County Fair.
THE BOND PRIZES.

Friday, the closing day OF the falr, was
made interesting by the award of the prizes
in gold, offered by the late J. W. Bond, Esq,
of Baltimore, to the farmer boys of Hartford
for the best yield of corn upon an eighth of
IN acre of ground-the contestants to be not
more than eighteen years age One hun
dred and nine boys and two girls contended
for these prizes, and the quantity of corn
raised by some of them is remarkable. On
Friday about twenty-five ofthe boys assem-
bled on the quarter stretch, at the fair grounds,
to hear the awards. Mr.. James II. Bond son
of the public-spirited gentleman who offered
the prizes, addressed the lads as follows:
Man, know myself" is the dictum of one of
the Sages of ancient Greece. 1.-THE proper study
# there be any an knowledge Of more Importance
than this, it is the knowledge of our Father in
whom, are all things. And just next in impor-
lance to these two is knowledge of our Mother
Earth from which we came in which y, we i've ana
young people to begin this earth knowledge, and
TO encourage them in pursuit of it, that the prizes
were offered which are to be distributed to-day
And it is pleasing to me to know that the end pro-
posed has been in some measure attained A be-
ginning, at least has been made by number of
Young people in the art which lies at the founda-
ton of all other arts: the art of cultivating the
ground IT, in the end any one OF them hem should Mould
only one grew before, the world will have gained
a benefactor: and, If by chance the acquaintance
thus begun with Mother Earth should ripen into
love- if it should beget and foster love of home
if it should help to tame the restless spirits of our
tic tic pursuits Which will render the attraction Of
city life less alluring if it should end in giving us
more farmers and fewer doctors and lawyers If,
above ALL it should be, even in small degree, the
means of making better farmers, then this humble
beginning will have had a triumphant ending =
tfy tc hnGn mar
of the soil. When these are scanty the country
languishes. When these are abundant the coun-
try prospers. You see around you to-day in the
happy faces that greet us here, and the like of
which might be seen in every village throughout
pare the state of the country to-day with what it
was few years ago. and you will want no further
testimony to the truth that National wealth, with
happiness, prosperity, springs from Mother Earth
There was a time when ships dared not put out to
Keeping always in sight of land. Then there
came the mariners compass, and wide oceans
whtened with the hhe sas OF SHIPS
treacherous winds, and without them were as
motionless las painted ships upon painted
our voyages can be made by day, or night in
calm, or storm. In other words the sailor is now
almost independent of the weather; but it has
taken nearly 5000 years to accomplish this result
1t may astonish some of my young friends and
som Sl my yo Si ma when the s FARMERS
will be almost as independent of the weather, as
the mariner now Is. AS yet we know compare
lively little of the powers and capacities of the
soil. When this knowledge is extended and cor
rected in the same proportion as our knowledge
of the mechanical powers of fire ard water has
advanced, crops may be made to grow without
rain, just as ships have been made to sail without
wind. 1t is to the young that we must look for
the study and the experiments that are to bring
these things about. They have the time, the
energy, the enthusiasm that is needed. But there
is one thing more equally necessary to success
that is lore 1t is only to those who to0e her that
Earth will disclose her secrets and unlock her
would entreat you to begin this work in
reverential and loving spirit; II you are to sub
due the earth more enectualiy tnan mas yot been
Then only may you expect to learn her secrets,
when you are in full sympathy with her mighty
of your ambition, if you should never become
altogether Independent of the weather, can
safe, confented, happy life. You may be tempted
to envy the wealthy merchant who adds thou
sands to thousands 10 the course OF month and
ever considered how few these fortunate indi-
vduas are in comparison with the unlucly men
who lose their all in similar ventures? We are
told that of merchants ninety per cent. fail in
business; of farmers only four per cent. The
business of the farmer is thus an eminently safe
business; but if the predictions which [ have
hazarded In regard to Agriculture be fulfilled
even in moderate degree, the farmer who makes
than any that this generation has ever dreamed of.
1t has been great grief to me that my father
did not live to see the full fruition of his enter
prise. But as the inheritor of his desires and
plans, it will give me the greatest pleasure to be
permitted to follow in the path which he marked
out shall now have the pleasure of presenting
to the successful competitors the prizes which
they have so worthily earned but | hope no one
will Imagine that the value of the contest ends
with this ceremony, or Is confined to the for
tunate few. who obtain the premiums. On the
contrary, hope that every boy and girl who took
part will have their reward yea, every thinking
farmer will, trust, be benefited by the expert
ments, and stimulated to greater efforts in the
future.
The successful competitors were as follows
Adam Horn, Jr. aged 10, who raised 1,G96lbs.
ofcorn; Addison L. Wilson, aged 1S, son of
VIM. A. Wilson, who raised 1, G04i lbs Shad-
rach S. Robinson, aged IS, son of Jesse Robin
son, who raised 1888 lbs; Geo. w. GLADDEN.,
aged 0, son of VIM. GLADDEN., who raised
1881 lbs; Louis L. Dehn, aged 10, who
raised 1924 lbs. Masters Horn, Wilson,
Robinson and GLADDEN. are of the 4th district.
Master Dehn lives in the 9TH district. Young
Horn raised at the rate of more than 81 bar
rels to the acre, and the average production
was about 35i barrels.
The successful, proud and happy boy far
mers were then conducted to the judges stand,
where Mr.. Bond gave them the prizes they
had won with so much toll and persevering
industry. Adam Horn, Jr., received 800 in |
gold Addison L. Wilson $50; Shadrach
Robinson $50; Geo. W. GLADDEN. SIS; and |
Louis L. Dehn $40.
The boys were then placed in carriages |
and accompanied by Mr. Bond and several |
of the officers of the society, were driven |
around the course, preceded by the band.-
The award ofthese prizes was one of the |
notable features of the fair, and the |
generosity and regard for the welfare and
progress of his native county, which prompt
ed the interest taken by the late Mr.. Bond in
the farmer boys of Hartford, is highly appre-
ciated The experience gained by the boys,
and by grown folks as WELL in the art of
cultivating corn, is worth many thousands
of dollars to the county. Nearly all the boys
worked hard for the prizes and those who did
their very best deserved if they did not
achieve success.
The two young ladies, Miss Sallie r. Cor
rel, aged II years, daughter of Henry s. Cor