The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-10-01
THE POWER OF FAIRS FOR GOOD.
III. l.. Blanchard. ]

Tie 1dTlleE anu HIS ldlully W tdhO q
few days needed rest, in social inter-
course with brother farmers. The we'll
conducted fair supplies object lessons
galore that carry with them much
pleasure and great profit. Nothing
can be of greater interest or value to
the progressive farmer than is the
study of a display of the cream of the
farm products of his county or state.
Comparatively few farmers are COM
pensated for their efforts beyond the
average yield per acre from the crops
they cultivate. Many more must con-
tent themselves with the minimum
yield. Hence it comes, that farming
as an occupation presents such varied
and wide results among different farm
ers. The fair is an object school
where are Systematically arranged
for inspection and study the actual
evidences and results of superior til
lage and cultivation of the various
farm crops. as also the breeding and
feeding of farm animals, practiced by
our most progressive farmers. Such
demonstrations are most valuable
alike to the farmer and the state, in
that they, in a pleasing way and often
unwittingly, produce thought and
study of the various methods follow
ed by different farmers laboring under
varying conditions. Thus it is that
our farmers become educated in
practical way, and in turn become
more and more progressive. AS a re-
suit. in the course of a short time, our
brightest farmers are making two
blades of grass grow where one grew
before and the resources of the county
and state are thereby doubeled, all OF
which are directly traceable to the
county fair.
In spite of these facts the farmers,
as a class, take too little interest in
the county fair, in the way of pat
ronage Too often a comparatively
few have to do the work and carry the
burden. Such support always comes
from the most capable and progressive
farmers The timid and Indifferent
ones make excuses. They often attend
the fair to criticise and brag about
the superior exhibits they might have
shown had they had time, etc. The
true meaning of which is generally
understood to be that such ones had
nothing creditable to exhibit, and if
they had they did not know it.
1t is customary at these fairs that
prizes are offered for the best eX-
hibits in the various classes. This is
done to awaken interest, and to create
friendly rivalry among exhibitors,
as we'll as, to, in part, compensate the
exhibitor for his time and trouble, in
thus placing before the public the re-
suits of his work and skill. These
matters, however, are all of secondary
consideration to the true fair man.
The educational and civilizing inf1u-
ence of the well-conducted county fair
appeal strongly to his patriotism. He
likes to see his county grow and de-
velop Evidences of brain work, as
we'll as that of Drawn, please him, and
add to his daily enjoyments. He
knows that the feelings that go with
thrift and progress are exhilerating
and helpful, and beget greater thrift
and progress
The Puyallup Valley Fair is one of
the most, if not the most successful
and influential fairs in the state, and
one with which the writer has had
the pleasure of more or less to do.
TO his personal knowledge many of
the exhibits at this fair were placed
at much trouble and expense by the
OWu0GS, SOl6ly W dooloC IllC Idll ohu
for their educational inf1uence-not
being entered for any premium what
ever. This is notably true of one of
the most prominent and progressive
farmers of that place, who had and
maintained on the fair grounds for the
entire fair week and on several &C.
casions, his entire herd of Jersey
COWS. 1t is due more to such mag
I'LL hot
prompted them on the part of a few
progressive and broad-minded men,
that the Puyallup Valley Fair has at
to;p ho hat If