The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-14
MONDAY. OCTOBER "A. 1872.
LESSONS FROM Tnr STATE FAIR,

The farmer cannot be o,trI-timated. aud 20
even The casual Observer vino attended the
great exposition last week IT was manifest
that the exhibit feature. stronger this year
,ban ever before was appreciated. With the
big free shows aud the races IN full blast all
he afternoon and Fhe merry midway in
mad whirl all dag. it something OF
temptation FOR The average care~free visitor
bur the farmers most OF lhem--spent their
time inspecting the things that pertained to
their material welfare. They viewed the "X-
htbi,s Of rival counties and compared notes
with their neighbors--the farm products
building a hiye Of activity from early
morning uutil night. The special educational
exhibit OF alfalfa. arranged by Demohstrator
r. O. sandy. was the most discussed display
In the building MIR. SANDY ana bis ASSISTANT.
MIR Koonce. were kept busy all the week
demonstrating to rural visitors, how 10 grow
the crop, and they had apt pupils. Frequent
" during the week these experts would have
groups Of farmers gathered around them who
hei matfe experiments With aifalta and failed
These were taught how to grow this money
making crop and urged 10 try it again, They
failed before because they started wrong.
Certain conditions muRr be complied with to
lar the foundation for success with this great
forage crop. but once started it takes care
OF itself This one feature of the fair alone
n eans that there will be greatly Increased
acreage OF alfalfa next season. and If
in consequence greater prosperity for Virginia
farmers generally. The soil is suited to the
crop, and there IS no reason Why Virginia
should not be the greatest alfalfa State in
the Union. The farmers who had brought
alfalfa TO state OF perfection brought ex-
hibits of their yieds-notabIy the Beiiwood
farmland these men took as much interest
In instructing their neghbors in its cultiva-
ton as did the government expert.
The display OF stock. too, object
lesson to the visiting farmers, showing what
can be done Virginia grazing grounds. Viz
g.nia-bred cattle in both the beef and dairy
classes ontdfstaneetf the imported bre'-ds rem
In fact in every department-BtocR
truck, fruit, the stapes-~-F4rgfnia products
made sweepstakes, with one exception-~the
horses-and the only reason the Virginia far
mers didn't win all the blue ribbons in the
busy with the more lucrative agricultural end
OF the game TO find time for raising horses
Just give em time and nothing that is
grown or bred anywhere else in the country
will be able to hold candle to the stuff
Virginia produces.
--- The rural visitors To- the fair exhibited It
lively interest too. in the display of farming
implements and machinery. which was the
most extensive that has been shown on the
State fair grounds There de-
vice OF especial interest--the gasoline plow-
the universal adoption of which spells good
bye to the mule, This device means great
deal to the farmer but II will spell the pass
iug of the mule, and there will be some SEN
timent 10 ovcrcome--what is the Virginia far
4saer any other farmer 10 do. for that mat
ter, without the mule, 1t will be like tearing
out heart strings to part with him, but it
has to come-in this age of progress there
is only a survival OF the ittest
The State fair management itself has
learned lessons from the fair. The
INCREASING popularity OF the fair as Shown hy
the great gains in attendance. means that Vir-
Einians demand a bigger and better fair
the fair association will have TO keep pace
with progress. 1t more permanent
buildings and improved thoroughfares inside
the enclosure. The dust-laden lanes that were
- uncomfortable and annoying must give
place to dustiess roads. The city. too is awake
to the situation. Something must be done
with the Hermitage road aud something viii
be Gone before the next annual fair The
condition of this thoroughfare last week was
such that only the alluring attraction of
State fair would have induced Automobiles
II brave its dust and dirt The patronage
given the exposition the past week demands
these essential Improvements, The city and
the fair association gIoufd give attention 10
these improvements without delay, and not
wait until II is TOO late TO complete them for
the 1913 fair. was the case with the new
bridge
BRYAN CLasSIFTEs n. Il.