The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-06-24
POcateNO Tribune
Editor Gives Views
on County Fairs


educational value. A county fail
should be a county affair, should
bring country people together and
stimulate interest in better farming,
better marketing and better rural
conditions. Biggest pumpkins, "
'b ggest beets," freaks" ct. when
the air Is made a museum, when buck
ing contests, roundups, roping con.
tests and the like prevail, will not do
this. These have no effect upon the
Improvement Of farming and upbuild.
ing of the country. Such is the sug.
gestion given in statement on exten.
sion work given by the state agricul.
tural college.
The average country fair attempts
too much, also, in the way Of giving
prizes and premiums. When prizes
are offered for almost every kind of
crop and animal, there is likely to be
a lack Of real competit on. Premiums
should be restricted to few we'll
chosen lines, those whichs seem of
greatest Importance to the country
and which should be encouraged the
most. Some lines would be featured
by special premiums. By thus con.
| centrating on a few lines, real com.
petition will be secured and the priz.
es and premiums available will go
much farther. They will be really
worth trying for. Instead OF so
many small cash prizes, ribbons, or
engraved awards of merit" may be
given. These may stimulate greater
competition and be cherished more
than cash or special prizes.
Fairs should feature such classes It
seems desirable to encourage in the
county, especially livestock. But IN
the live stock classes, emphasis,
should be placed upon type and real
worth, and not merely upon breeds.
We need better cows, better steers,
better horses, better sheep and pigs,
not more varieties. Records of pro-
duction should be encouraged. The
emphasis should be placed upon what
the COW does and not upon her fam.
lily tree.
Such lines of agricultural produc-
ton as corn, seed production, better
grades of market fruit, grain and hay,
market lots of livestock and poultry
should be featured. There Is a ten
dency also. to offer too many prizes
for different varieties of fruit and
garden products, whereas better mar
keting, the growing of only those va
rieties demanded by the market
should be encouraged.
A fair should be educational. Mon.
ey and effort are wasted upon exhib-
its of crazy quilts, tides, etc, of the
1887 crop, and fussy cakes and pies.
The farm women should he encourag-
ed to make better homes. Therefore
exhibits of conveniences for the farm
home, exhibits that will show how
rural health may be improved; how
better bread should be made; meth
DDS Of home canning of meat, fruit
and vegetables, all should be encour-
aged.
What are the rural schools doing?
Have you q real country school, or
only school in the country What
are the schools doing to hold the
young folks in the country, to stimu-
late interest in home keeping and
farming? Exhibits of rural school
work in agriculture and home econo-
mics, in boys and girls club work al
ways receive great deal OF atten-
ton and a county fair cannot do bet
ter than to encourage this sort of
work.
Many county fairs have been most
successful in featuring some product
which the county is getting known
for, on one, or several days Of the
fair. Thus in some counties Potato
Day, Biscuit Day, Apple Day, Pork
Day, ETC., have served to st mulate
great interest in the fair and adver-
tised the county. 1t is also the Gus.
tom to serve roasted pork, baked APP
Piles, and potatoes, biscuits and the
like with a free or low priced lunch.
con on these days. Other fairs have
made a success OF farmers picnlcs,
where people from the same part of
the county gather and have jol!if.
cation.
All such efforts stimulate interest
in the farming and country life OF
that county. make the fair a real
country fair, a get together place for
rural people. The average county
fair can do much to increase inter
est In better farming and better rural
life. The mere collecting OF turulps,
grains and carrots, the giving Of priz.
es for a fat hog, plates OF red ap.
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