Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-08-29
COUNTY AGENT NOTES.
Tho County Fair

Our county fair board has labored
and prepared an ella
borate premium list for our county
fair. II covers all the products and
resources OF the county, They have
also prepared an excellent program OF
sports and amusements for entertain
ment during the fair. The business
men OF Grants Pass have responded
with their support to the
fair.
The question now Is, what are We
going to get out Of ~ Generally
speaking, we get out Of II just what
we put into Il.
II Is n place where the farmer may
bring his product and put II along
side and in competition with that OF
his neighbor, II he has brought forth
an article that Is superior TO that OF
his nelghbor he has accomplish
ed something worth while. something
to be proud Of. and at the same time
has given his neighbor something bet
ter with which to compare his prod
uct and offer him some inducement
TO produce something better In the
future. Helping your neighhor to
help himself. n. on the other hand.
the neighbor has exhibited the bet
ter product. the farmer has some'
thing to inspire him to 20 back and
improve his crop the next year.
The county fair is educational. pro-
vided the farmer takes advantage OF
the opportunity offered and learns the
lesson that II teaches. Just at the
present time we are overburdened
with numberless varieties OF wheat.
oats, corn potatoes, etc, There are
not less than so varieties OF pota-
toes grown In the vicinity OF Grants
Pass. There should be not more
than fve--I mean for commercial
purposes, The county fair offers IN
for the farmer to COM
pare varieties and talk over matters
pertaining to potato growing with
his neighbor, We need standardiSa-
tion OF varieties. The same Is true
with other vegetables. fruits, grains.
stock. etc.
One will not get the entire benefits
from the fair unless he becomes
part OF the fair--has some exhibit OF
his own. He will get the most bene-
At from that department In which he
Is vitally concerned. A casual OBJ
server will see things in a general
way and comment on certain ex-
hibits as being fine, excellent. attrac-
tive; while the student OF the fair
will analyze an exhibit and get from
It the points OF excellence and take
them home with him and make them
an asset to the farm. OF course
every one should see the fair as a
whole, but at the same time he should
make a minute study OF some parti-
cular phase or department in order
to get the most out OF IL.
The fair board has secured the SER
vices OF Farmer" Smith. agricultur-
ist OF the O.-W. r. & N, to be present
for two days OF the fair and give lee
lures. Mr.. Smith Is going to tell us
something worth while, and tell 1t In
a plain business way; tell us some
thing that we can take home with u'
and talk about In the family circle, In
the grange or at the country store
and think about and realize upon II
the future. Be sure to hear him.
Do not forget to encourage our In
dustrial club workers to bring theil
exhibits. These young people are oul
near future farmers and housewives
and the work they are now doing II
the beginning OF a better home liz
and better agricultural conditions fo
them and for us.
C. D. THOMPSON.
County Agricultural Agent