The Somerset reporter., 1908-08-27
The Fair as an Educator

The season for the fall fairs of 1908
is now upon us. Bangor has already
started the ball rolling this week with
the big exhibit of the Eastern Maine
Association. Next week the excite
ment cenlers in Waterville on the
grounds of the Central Maine Fair
Association whose show has been
growing year by year until it is now
considered by many to be the biggest
and best and most ito date show in
the state. The following week Lew
iston has its innings with the big
Maine State Show. This is the last of
the big shows of the state but follow
ing these are many smaller shows
which, though of lesser magnitude,
are by no means inferior in quality or
by no means less capable of arousing
the interests of the people, locally at
least. Among the smaller shows is
our own Somerset County show in
Fairview Park which the officials pro-
mise us will be bigger and better than
ever including many features of new
interest to the people in this vicinity.
There is no denying that our fairs
are source of much enjoyment and
pleasure to the people of our state.
There is no place where the person of
few days leisure in the year can 60
to see as much, learn as much or
laugh as much. There is variety of
entertainment for all; the races; the
acrobats; the bands; the fireworks;
the balloon ascensions; and above all
the Fakes and Fakirs. They say the
American people like to be fooled; it
is on the fair grounds that we find
those ready for business who are pre-
eminently capable of gratifying our
desires in this direction. The fairs
are furthermore a source of much
profit to the people. They give the
farmer an opportunity of keeping in
close touch with improvements in
the tools of his trade, of learning new
methods, of becoming acquainted
with the parasites that destroy his
crops and with the means of fighting
them. The competition in all varie-
ties OF live stock, in farm produce, in
the products OF the household, lead to
better and more profitable stock, to
LuOEc IoHueulcIll III VIC uOulc duQ W d
better condition of life.
A striking example of what these
fairs will do towards the improve
ment of conditions i'll the state is the
results brought about by the poultry
exhibit at the Central Maine Fair A
few years ago when this fair first be-
gan to be held, the poultry exhibit at
the different shows was a matter of
lirtI 10 hn
exhibited was of an inferior quality.
To day the poultry exhibit at Water
vile Is without question the largest
and most popular exhibit there and
displays quality superior to any
other department of the show. So
gre at an interest in poultry has been
created in the state by this show that
the entries this year we unde rstand
exceeds 5000 birds, which is more
birds than were exhibited at the big
Boston show last January, although
that show is open to the world and
many valuable prizes are offered.
Bangor and Lewiston are also feeling
the effect of the interest awakened;
many entries of birds had to be re-
fused at Bangor this year on account
of lack of Accommodations where in
previous years there was more than
room enough for all. There is no
room for doubt that there is large
movement among the farmers of this
state for more and particularly for
better poultry. The fairs, the Maine
Experiment Station and comparative
tests everywhere nave shown the
farmer convincingly that the rule
that applies to COWS, horses, swine
and all other live stock, applies with
even greater force to hens: superior
thoroughbred stock will pay a profit
while inferior mongrel stock is al
ways losing investment.
Those of you who attend the
Waterville Fair this year will find it
of interest to you to visit the pou try
tent and there notice the great i'm
provement made in Maine poultry.
The exhibit will have a particular in
terest for the people of our county as
the Pittsfeld Poultry Farm Co. of
Pittsfield, who own and operate the
largest poultry establishment in the
state, will be one of the biggest ex-
exhibitors with a large string of their
t h rough bred Barred Plymouth
Rocks. Their exhibit alone should
make it well worth your while to visit
the tent as they claim to have many
birds of exceptional quality this year.
We understand they will have on ex
hibit there the bird which as first
prize cockerel attracted so much at
tention at the Portland show last year
and which brought forth fabulous
offer from one of the most prominent
breeders of the country. We under.
stand also that the Pittsfleld farm will
make full entry at our Skowhegan
show this year. This will give those
who are unable to attend the Water
vile show an opportunity to see what
is reputed to be one of the hand
soonest lines of Plymouth Rocks in
the country.