The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1903-10-16
THE GREAT VALUE OF STe1E fairs
nave Stimulated Industrial Development and
Led to improvement Of Stock and Increase
in Lands Values.

they were well nigh exhausted. The
quarter of a century Immediately
following 1850 is memorable in the
history of English agriculture for the
many improvements made. To the
! genius OF Blackwell is due the extra
ordinary improvement made in do
mestic animals, and especially in the
character of sheep, which proved the
foundation stone of new agricul-
ture. With sheep came turnips, and
with the depasturing Of turnips came
improvement of the soil. Long
horn cattle were succeeded by short
horn or Durham cattle. MerinO
sheep were Introduced by George III,
who, however, inefficient as states
man, was an energetic and Jealous
farmer. The Bath and West Of
England Society was established in
l777, the Highland Society in 1884,
aud the Nation Board OF Agriculture
in 1893. These various societies by
their exhibitions and publications
infused such measure of intelli-
gence and inquiry through all ranks
of society a. to bring about wonder
full progress in agricultural develop
ment.
Through the influence of these
societies and stimulus given to agri-
culture 10y the NapOleOnic wars the
rental of land in Scotland ros- from
s2,OOO, 900 in 1895 to e., DIS, SIS in 1915.
The livestock Interest increased more
rapidly than any other. The con-
sumption Of meat was out of all pro-
portion TO that OF bread grains. To
meet this demand there were more
| green crops and more livestock, from
| which resulted more wool, more meat,
| more manure and more grain crops.
! The prOductiveness of the soil was
greatly increased. Land was made to
do quadruple the duty it performed
century before. Agriculture ss a
science and art was steadily advanced
and to the numerous local agricultural
associations which sprang up all over
the Uuited Kingdom collecting and
disseminating information and Civ
ing exhibitions of livestock and
agricultural products are these great
improvements TO be described.
With agricultural fairs will come,
first, improvement in livestock.
With improvement iu livestock will
come increased fertility in the soil.
With increased fertility in the soil
will agricultural prosperity and devel-
Opment. Where fairs are encouraged
and livestock interest promoted every
other branch OF agriculture will
flourish.
Not only this, but the social value
of fairs is not to be overlooked. They
attract men of Intelligence of obser.
walton, OF experience and OF progress
sive thought. They bring the people
together from various portions of the
state and make them acquainted with
one another. a fair is, therefore,
broadening in its effects and patriotic
in its tendencies. II breaks down
local prejudice, it encourages the
making of new experiments, il ele-
Yates the farmer in his own estima-
ton and in the estimation of all classes
| in the community, il creates bust
| ling trade, breaks the monOtony OF
country life and makes it enjoyable.
Fair-days are gala days, full of life
and hope and happiness. They are
often referred to as the beginning
! point Of some new industry or some
new method of cultivation or some
new use applied to old things A fair
Is the occasion of kindly greetings of
people from all portions of the
country. 1t induces a feeling of good.
will and amity, revives trade by
stimulating inquiry, and its influence
is felt to be one of the prime motive
powers among the best agricultural
classes.
The establishment of state fairs,
therefore, would be a wise revision
for the elevation and prosperity of the
states. The small amount necessary