Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-08-24
| SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL


lar idea that fair Is q folio, is
false one. Whilst the occasion fur
nishes fine opportunity for needed
recreation and entertainment, the main
purpose is educational This Is about
the only way farmers can makea CONE
parison Of methods and results, and
determine the best means for success.
It Is sometimes objected, that farm
ers spend their money fo0lishly attend-
ing fairss instead Of putting it In Inn
provements upon the farm. Il would
be Of equal force to say that the young
physician expends his money unwise-
ly in attending medical lectures. rather
than filing his shop with medicines
must frst learn the use Of remedies,
otherwise, be may invest In such as
will be hurtfuI to his business. The
farmer invests in fairs as a large part
of his education, that he may properly
and profitably fit himself for the du-
ties of the succeeding year.
An investment in fairs is, therefore,
an investment for the farm. A farmer
may be satisfied with the character Of
his field seed, until he sees the same
products much better developed by
some other farmer. Hemay be satisfied
with his scrub stock, and believe them
to be equal to the best, until he sees
the possibilities from improved breeds.
His hogs, to weigh two hundred and
fifty pounds, must be from eighteen
months to two years old. At the fair
he sees hogs of ten months weighing
three hundred. His sheep yield him
an average fleece of FIVE pounds. He
sees at the fair sheep that will shear
fifteen. His COW gives him about two
and half gallons Of milk per day.
He sees at the fair COWS that will give
eight gallons. And SO on through
out the entire rounds of stock,
poultry and products, he finds
every thing far exceling what be
has on his farm, aud what he
had heretofore supposed to be possi-
BILE. His methods are improved by an
inspection of labor-saving machines
and implements. He finds, by the use
OF machines he sees on exhibition, that
he can greatly reduce his expenses for
labor, and at the same time increase his
yield.
Fairs make the occasion for the as.
sembling OF numbers Of farmers, and
each man has not only the benefit o.
the exhibits before him, but the better
advantage of intelligent discussion ant
general comment.
The best means for rapid advance
ment is to bring the people in persona
contact with facts rather than ideas
and results rather than arguments
Seeing is believing, and believing
makes the basis of action.
For some years past I have watched
with great deal Of interest. the bene
fits of agricultural fairs. I hardly
think we can have too many. The
need not be expensive In their ar
rangements; indeed, l do not thinl
they ought to be, but 1t would great.
aid general agriculture if we had on
in every county in the State. It bring
the farmers together by comparison
. 1t measures a man in his success be
fore the public, and 1t stimulates hin
, TO his best endeavor and his best re
suits Let such condition of thing
, affect every farmer in the country
and the advance and Improvement vii
be greater than can be obtaine
} through any other means.
, Some plan of organization should b
/ adopted to identify every farmer wit
, the exhibit, and have him put out
, sample, at least Of every crop h
> raises = good, bad and Indifferent
There is too little inspection o
: farm methods and farm results
If every member of a club or Grang
1 or an Alliance is required to bring OF
e to public exhibition an average sampl
; of his crops, many who are now indi
4 ferent to results. could not endure th
. modification of being the least IN tn
s multitude.
3 County fairs can be made NOR
Q profitable by inviting the co-operatio
t Of several counties adjacent, and fix
9 ing dates so as to allow attendant
9 upon each. Such course will q
up a community competition that wi
be more extended, and, therefore, moi
profitable.
, The money invested in any count
: for the purpose of a well-conducte
4 county fair will pay cash dividends
i the Improvement of agriculture an
I, the general advancement of the pei
4 pie. All the expenses necessary ca
be easily met in the small admissio
fee.
Competition begun in the count
and then extended to adiacel
: counties and finally to the Stat
as between different sections
the State, by transferring exhibit
to the different expositions and
u the State Fair. would increase our yiel
I improve our methods, advertise OF
products, induce good settlers, and Q
= hance the taxable products many mil
= ions OF dollars. In such enterpris
= we need large public spirit Our pc
! pie are greatly lacking in interest fl
7 the public good. forgetful of the ia
\ that every man who advances the pu
lie good advances, in q measure, b
own interest. We are too much |
|. inclined to live at home and work 9
: clusively for ourselves. These int
!, ests have been discussing are, ther
fore, left to the few who virtually we
ont with fri1iflaas labor for othel