Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-10-15
THE MODEL FAIR.
Exhibition OF the New York state Ag-
riculturaI Society.


ricuIturaI Society.
Tho grounds occupied by tho society this
year were purchased some years ago by cor
poration and fitted up in first class style, at
an expense of something like Sl25,000, a
large and productive farm being included in
the purchase. The farm house was turned
into q hotel and officers headquarters, the
barns and stables moved of or altered over
to meet the wants of exhibitors, a mammoth
hall erected for the display Of merchandise
and miscellaneous exhibits, and n half mile
track laid out and built on the extensive
plain in front of the mansion. The cattle
sheds are the best we have ever soon-tight,
warm, or airy, according to the needs of the
occupant, and as well built as the best village
stables. But hurricane which carried off
the dome of the great hail. killing and wound
ing several persons, together with the unex-
pected cost of the improvements failed the
corporation, and the property was soon sold
under the auctioneer's hammer, a considera-
BILE portion of it going back to the original
proprietor. The grounds and all the build
ings are rented this year to the society, and
are fully under its control during the fair
The track, however, is only used as pleas
ure drive, this society never, from its foun-
dalton, having paid single prize for horse
trotting or horse racing and yet there is not
a society in America that can show moro
satisfactory record, or one that carries more
youthfulness with its increasing years.
This is the 10th annual fair, and during
these forty years more than thirty large vol
umes of transactions of the society have been
prepared and published for distribution
among the farmers of the State, giving relia-
BILE information upon almost every conceiva-
BILE subject connected with agriculture, from
the feeding of hog to the comparative mer-
its of the most costly farm machinery. The
reports of committees on ploughs and har-
vesting machines, tested by the most careful
field trials, and the reports of emin ent mem
bers on grasses, insects, diseases of animals
etc, afford some of the highest agricultural
literature of the age. Gold medals and cash
premiums of $50 each are offered for best an
finals, and $50 for best butter and cheese.
Such liberal prizes open to the world draw
very great numbers of competitors, but it is
not the large prizes alone which induce com
petition, for the exhibits of harvesting ma
chinery, ploughs or other implements, which
would require field tests, receive no prizes
whatever, and yet there are acres of space
covered by samples from all parts of the
country. Ploughs are shown by the hundred
and thousand, while the hay presses, mowers,
reapers, binders, seed sowers tile machines.
well dggers and cider mills in operation keep
up constant din that reminds one more of
an immense factory than an agricultural fair
Yet aside from the unavoidable noise con.
nected with machinery in operation. the fair
is one of the stillest we have ever attended.
Not single side show of any nature what
ever is permitted inside the grounds nor
near the gates on the outside. A few victual-
ing privileges are sold. and we found one Ii.
censed lager beer tent. lager beer being claim.
ed here as a temperance drink, and Judging
by the quiet and good order maintained in
such a crowd from morning till nipht. the
claimants are certainly not without "A good
show of argument. Among the thirty tbous.
and people said TO be upon the ground we
failed to note single case of drunkenness or
rowdyism.
The Judges are selected with great care are
men of known ability, frequently from other
States. and they are paid n liberal sum for
their services. Protests NAV be made apains,
the awards of Judges in case of manifest er.
ror, but the society hears to no appeol based
on error of Judgment on tho mart ~ il.
Judges. Exhibitors connecting for INV nrize
must accent quietly whatever decision The
Judges agree upon. and must attach such
| cards to their exhibits AS the society direct
| All entries are made bv numbers and The
| iudpes are not evnected To know tho nauos
of connections till Judgment has bcen nassed
and awards agreed unon
Every competitor before his goods can Il,
entered must nav n one years membersbir
fee of one dollar which fee entities him m !
| ticket of admittance 10 the gronnds Good dnr
ing the fair A fee of ten dollars makes one
a life member The President holds ofBcf
but single wear and while il 10 the aim n,
| the society TO make itself so useful that mem
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