The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-11
THE COUNTY FAIR
EFFICIENT AGENCY
IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DEVELOP
MEsT AND PROGRESS SAYS
PRESIDENT FINLEY.
MAKES FOR EDUCATION
HEAD OF RAILWAY SYSTEM MAKES
SOME SUGGESTIONS WHEREBY
EXHIBITS MIGHT he MADE
MORE yALI ABLE.
MAKES FOR EDUCATION
BY w. w. FINLEY.
President, Southern Railway
COMPANY.


The president OF a fair ASSOCIATION
in one of the progressive counties
lraversed by the lines OF the South
ern Railway company has suggested
that / write an article for newspaper
publication on The Advantages and
Benefits of the County Fair.
Ii gives me great pleasure to COM
ply with this suggested 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 X Ia
held.
At the county fair the visitor seea
what his own neighbors are doing
where the conditions OF climate and
soils are similar to those on his own
farm The men who have attained
the best results and carried OF the
premiums are known 10 him. He can
talk with them, visit their farms and
learn Just how they have succeeded.
A county fair thus becomes most
efficient educational institution, This
- especially trae where. as al some
OF the fairs III the southeastern
states, lectures are delivered by ex~
perts In different branches OF agri-
culture, horticulture, live stock rails
ing and dairying. While amusement
features In connection with fair
aid tn increasing the attendance, |
believe that they should be supor-
dnated and that the primary aim Of
the managers Of county fairs should
be TO make them of educational value
to the farmer IN aiding him 20 solve
hts practical problems
AS result OF the study which !
have given to agricultural condi-
tions on the Southeastern states 10
connection with the work for farm
Improvement being carried on by the
Southern Railway company i have
become convinced that the most I'M
portant problem confronting the far
mers of our section at this time Is
that Of . Increasing their average
Yields per acre. This may be said
to be an all inclusive problem. for
il involves not only cultural methods.
but questions as 10 the rotation OF
crops so as TO get the best results,
AS to raising live stock for manure as
we'll as for direct profit, and as 10 the
proper use of the right kind Of fer
tilizers and the application OF lime
10 soil needing a lime treatment.
We have just reached the time
in the United States rnen this PROB
lem OF increasing average yields per
acre il becoming acute. With the
growth or population, demand for
farm products OF all kinds is incraas-
ing and there are 10 longer vast areas
OF productive lands In the West open
10 farm settlement The growing
demand must be met in larger meas
ure than heretofore by the farmers
OF the older States. and there Is no
section which, by it's geographical re-
lation 10 the consuming csnters and
climatic and soil conditions. Is better
situated to profit by this condition
than the Southeastern States
The county fair can be made a
most efficient agency In the solution
OF the problem OF increasing the
yields of our Southeastern soils As
means to this end | 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 IN
formation practicable as to the cor
ditions under which they were pro-
duced. For example, the educati o1al
value OF corn exhibit would be
much Increased II II should be ac-
companied by placard stating the
rotation OF crops in which the corn
had been grown. describing concise
iy 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 OF barn yard manure used
per acre with the time and method
of its application. the character ana
amount of commercial fertilizers used
with the time and method of their
application. the yield per are OBJ
tanned. and any other facts % an
instructive nature relative TO the
production of corn. Similar placa"ds
with such changes as might be ree-
essary TO adapt them TO the d.fferen.
exhibits would add greatly 10 the
practical educational yaips of the
fair.
In brief article of this kind it, is
not practicable to discuss all of the
ways in which county fair can be
helpful TO community, but ! think
there can be no question as to its
great value and | should be glad to
see an annual fair in every county in
the Southeastern States
Washington. ID, C., August 10,