Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-07-23
' BIGGEST and
BEST in west
Will Be the Coming Arkan.
sas Valley Fair
SUCH FAIRS AS OURS I
ARE INSPIRING

Says Peter Radford, President of the
Farmers Educational and CO.
Operative Union
At a meeting on Monday of the
board of directors of the Arkan-
sas Valley Fair association the
members waxed very enthusiastic
over the prospects for not only a
bigger and better fair than ever
before but for the biggest and
best fair to be held in the west
to begin in this city on Aug. 81
and last four days.
Assurances are already coming
in that the well-bred, petted and
pampered fat stock of the state,
the finest horticultural and agri-
cultural products from Colorado's
best farms, the show fowls from
all the successful poultry estab-
lishments in Southern Colorado,
the largest number of harness
horses and runners ever assemb-
led for race meet in the Arkan-
sas valley, will be features at the
big Arkansas Valley Fair.
Races at, the Arkansas Valley
Fair are expected to be the most
interesting in the annals of the
association. The largest list of
entries. comprising some of the
fastest horses in the country, have
been received at the Office of Sec
retary Pollock. Some novelty
stunts are also being arranged
that have never before been seen
upon racing program of which
full particulars will be given later.
Inspiration OF the Fair
BY PETER RADFoRD
When you enter the agricultural de-
partment of the county fair, you feel
your soul uplifted and your life takes
on new power-that Is the inspira-
ton of the soil. You are oVerpowered
by the grandeur and magnificence of
the scene-that is the spirit of the
harvest. You can hear the voice Of
nature calling you back to the soil
that is opportunity knocking at your
door. 1t is a good chance to spend
quiet hour in contact with the purity
and perfection of nature and to sweet
en- your life with its fragrance, elevate
your ideals with its beauty and expand
your Imagination with its power.
These products as food are fit for
the gods, and as an article of COM
merce they ought to bring tip-top
prices on any market in the world.
The products of the soil are teachers
and preachers as well. Their beauty
gives human life its first entertain
ment, their perfection stirs the genius
in artists; their purity furnishes mod
els for growth of character and their
marvellous achievements excite our
curiosity and we inquire into the won
derful process of nature.
Before leaving the parlor of agricul.
ture where nature Is parading In her
most graceful attire and science is
climbing the giddy heights of perfec-
ton, let US pause and take retro
spective view. How many of you
know that after these wonderful prod
ucts are raised, they can seldom be
marketed at a profit? Take the blush
ing Elberta, for example-they were
fed to the hogs by the carload last
year. The onion-the nations favorite
vegetable-every year rots by the
acre in the Southwest for want Of
market and as a result hundreds Of
farmers have lost their homes. Cot
ton-nature's capitalist-often goes
begging on the market at less than
cost of production.
1t is great to wander through the
exhibits while the band is playing
Dixie" and boast Of the marvellous
fertility Of the soil and pride ourselves
on our ability to master science. but
it is also well to remember that there
is a market side to agriculture that
does not reflect its hardships in the
exhibits at county fair.