The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-07

run largely to stock, with a tendancy
toward the dropping out of the small
feeder and breeder The latter situa-
ton is recognized by fair managers to
be a distinctly bad tendency, as the
number OF the exhibitors determines
largely the public interes: in the ex-
.hibition and International features OF
the fair.
During period covering about six
week. the Experiment station stan
are In almost constant demand as
judges of livestock agricultural
exhibits, and In the course Of a season
meet practically all the leading stock
men and grain tarmer5 of the state.
Prominent among those who act as
judges at the county and state fairs
are Professor Shepperd md Professor
Waldron, Professors Churchill, Rich
ards and Dynes. All If tn sc meu have
had wide experience in the work,
which is largely educational in it's
character Dean Shepperd has acted
as manager of the students judging
contest held in connection with the In
ternational Livestock show at Chicago
Professor Richards has judged at the
international and at other fairs of i'm
portance both in this country and
Canada and the others named have
done important placing work in lead
ing western fairs.
The important quail. les of a Judge,
after the matter Of imrartiality is con-
ceded, are the ability to recognize a
good animal or worthy exhibit, and to
be able to state cry clearly the rea-
sons for the placing given, whether
for or against the opinions Of the ex-
hibitor. The judge must b., for the
time being, an expert advisor on the
good and bad, IN expert adviser to the
breeder of live stock, or to the expert
enced grower of Grains and farm pro-
duce. His is a place that calls for
rare qualities of fair mindedness,
quick, and accurate judgment. He
must have in mind the ideals toward
which the stockmen and farmers are
working in their efforts to produce the
best In their lines. He must be able
to correct errors of judgment on the
part of the breeder, and convince him
that the standards set in the Judging
ring are dictated - sound business
sense s.
This makes the work done by the
judges called out from the Agricultur-
al college during the summer months a
work of peculiar Importance to both
the present and future of the agricul-
tural interests of the state. The judg-
ing work il really constitutes an ex-
tension school for experts by experts,
and in it's sessions, brief direct de-
cisive, the highest kind of instruction
is given.
The judges find something to be de-
sired. There. is a lac of uniformity
of classification. Fair associations do
not possess the same standards, nor
split their exhibits into similar classes.
All this consumes ii ~e and energy on
the part of the judge, and >ften leaves
la feeling of dissatisfaction ranking in
the mind Of the exhibitor.
Professor Richards is in hopes that
he will be able before another year
comes around to lay before the fair
association a plan thS will make for
uniformity in classification of stock.
His wide experience as a livestock
Judge and expert enables him to see
the matter broadly, and his sugges-
tions along the line of better system
of classifying the entries will be look
ed forward to with keen interest by
the state.