Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-08-14
AGENCIES
OF old COUNTY FAIR
Important Factor in Development
And Progress
MAKES FOR WIDER EDUCATION
Railroad President Writes About
This Institution

| Ao AASNAt6hAOh
President W. W. Finley of the
Southern Railway Company, writes
as follows on THE Advantages and
Benefits OF the County FAIR"
1t gives me great pleasure to com
ply with this suggestion for the rea-
son that, in my opinion, the county
fair can be made most important
factor in the progress and develop
ment OF the locality in which it is
held.
AT the county fair the visitor sees
what his own neighbors are doing
where the conditions of climate and
soils are similar to those on his ow q
farm. The men who have attained
the best results and carried off the
premiums are known to him. He
can talk with them, visit their farms
and learn just how they have sue
ceeded. A county fair thus becomes
a most efficient educational institu-
ton. This is especially true where,
as at some OF the fairs in the South
eastern States, lectures are deliver
ed by experts in differ emit branches
of agriculture, horticulture, live
stock raising and dairying. While
amusement features in connection
With fair aid in increasing the at
tendance, believe that they should
be subordinated and that the pri-
mary aim OF the managers of county
fairs should be to make them OF edu
cational value TO the farmer in aid
ing him TO solve his practical prob
lens. ..
As a result Of the study which :
have given to agricultural cnndi-
ton in the Southeastern States in
connection, with the work for T. rm
Improvement being carried on by
the Southern Railway Company,
have become convinced that the
most importans problem confronting
the farmers of our section at this
time is that of increasing their av
erage yields per acre. This may be
said to be an all-inclusive problem,
for it involves not only cultural
methods, but questions as to the ro-
taticn OF crops so as to get the best
results as to raising livestock for
manure as we'll as for direct profit.
and as TO. the proper use of the right
kind of fertilizers and the applica-
ton of lime to soil needing a lime
treatment.
The county fair can be made
most efficient agency in the solution
OF the problem of INCREASING the
yields ofour Southeastern soils. AS
a means to this end 1 would suggest
to the managers of these fairs that
they require exhibitors to attach to
their exhibits or post up with them
placards giving the most complete
Information practicable as to the
conditions under which they were
produced. For example, the educa.
tional value Of a corn exhibit would
be much increasedif it should be &C
companied by placard stating the
rotation of crops in which the corn
had been grown, describing concise
~ the character of soil and the meth
DDS by which it had been prepared,
the date and method of planting, the
date and methods of cultivation, the
amount Ct barn yard manure used
per acre with the time and method
OF its application, the character and
mount Of commercial fertilizers used
with the time and method of their
application, the yield per acre OBJ
famed, and any other facts of an in
structive nature relative to the pro-
duction OF corn. Similar placards
with such changes as might be nee
essary to adapt them to the different
exhibits would add greatly to the
practical educational value of the
fair.
Negro Dies at 90 Years of Age
a.