Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-07-12
AGRICULTURAL FAIRS.
A WORD ~ IuEiR rRlIsE. soaE INNS
foR TuEiR INrnoyEsI>r.

when look back over . period of ~
year. aud contrast that time With tile
present I see that great improvement.
have b-,n made In almost u not quilt.
every branch of agriculture. To-day
plenty as those that would girih seven
fr-t at that time. Gov. that will make
two pounds of butter Per dsy are as
plenty ss those that would make one
pound then: 3:jD horses are as plenty
to-day q. ~ animal. were then. IN
agricultural implements fully ss marked
improvements have becn made.
We owe this change Ia great degree
Ia agricultural fairs by offering prrml-
ums for the best. This is ESPECIALLY
true ne regards animals. The pr~miams
have t~-n an lnduccment and q great
help to breeders to procure blooded
stock from which to improve not only
th-ir own stock but also that of Others
Who may pstronite them. With regard
to agricultural implements the farmers
90 Ia the fairs Ia see the be.t that IL "f-
frrc,l aud the inventor aud manufacturer
will surely get left unlesss they keep up
With the time. and exhibit as good an
article as there IL In the market.
Prom q social point Of view people at
tending the fairs renew old aclualnt-
anc.. aud form new once. Thoughts
aud idea. are exchanged, improvements
observed aud farmers get more enlarged
view. aud desire for Improvement IL
created. Almost all organizations have
their periodical gatherings for creating
enthusiasm and advancing th. Interests
of their orders, aud what those gather
ings have done for other orders the ag-
riculturai fairs have done for agriculture.
The degree Of Interest with which al
most the entire community look forward
to the time when the fairs shall CON-
mence .Iraks volumes Ia their favor.
Although the grange has done much for
the farmers aud their families, yet the
fairs will always have an interest Ia that
direction.
What changes can be made for the bet
ter In the management of the fAlrsi
While Il would not probably be we'll to
make any radical changes at once,
think Il would BE- Tor the Interest of the
community II less prominence were
given to the trotting horse Industry and
more To encourage the brecding of other
classes which have real rather than
fictitiou. value. More money has been
lo.t In the past ten years by bre,iing
trotters In Maine than has been made
and more money will lie lost In the fu-
ture than there has been In the past.
While the country IL full Of trotting
hor,es that have but little value for any
thing e,se, other classes that have real
practical value have been aud are neg
lected. The finr roAding, stylish horse OF
good disposition and good slfe known ~
the gentlemsn's driving horse, WAS ~
plenty 10 years ago a. IL IL to-day. One
prominent breeder of trotting horses In
this state says that one class Of horses
that IL would pay to raise IL the gentle
mans driving horse. There IL q demand
for them In excess Of the supply and
they would sell for paying priceA every
time. The fairs should ofier greater In
ducemeuts 90 breed that class of borses,
aud u farmers should 20 To breeding
that class, making speed Of secondary
Importance, t would be bctter for them
aud the community.
Greater encouragement should be
given to raising the hest Of the different
staple products Of the soil. Liberal
premiums should he offered for the
production of ths best acre Of grass,
grain, corn, potatoes aud other cropS,
for the best orchards Of from 80 to lOO
apple trees, also other frults aud berries
and like productions, With . written
statement from the competitor "a 10 how
he accomplished those results. ] am
aware that premiums have been offered
In the past for the production Of those
articles but think greater Inducements
should he offered Ia the futurr.-Cor. of
New England Farmer. 10