EEPORTS OF DELEGATES. 353 



our fairs, may not always present a true idea of the general 

 crop raised by the exhibitors, still in a comparison of the exhi- 

 bitions of to-day with those of fifteen or twenty years ago, the 

 improvement in the products is a safe guide to judge of the 

 general progress, and if the person who " causes two spires of 

 grass to grow where only one grew before is a public benefac- 

 tor," then is not the man also a " public benefactor " who 

 causes vegetables to grow to twice the size they grew before, 

 or who increases the value of vegetables or grains for feeding 

 or other purposes twice what they were before ? And so, too, 

 is not the same rule applicable in its full force to the man 

 who, by breeding, increases the value of stock of all kinds, 

 perhaps fourfold ? Now is there any doubt but that the pio- 

 neers of the Fairfield County Agricultural Society who are 

 still living can see a marked improvement in all the various 

 products of the soil, grains, etc., also stock of all kinds, as it 

 appears to-day in comparison with their first exhibition, and 

 exactly to the extent of this improvement has been their 

 advance, so also can they undoubtedly see a vast increase in 

 the amount of grains of all kinds harvested from a single 

 acre, or the quantity of hay from an acre : but inasmuch as 

 the man who enlarges his crop of hay has either done so by 

 adding to the number of spires of grass, or by their increased 

 size, then he "is a public benefactor," so, to the extent of the 

 increase of all crops of every name and description, the peo- 

 ple at large have been benefited. 



Having thus prepared the way, it is proper to speak of the 

 appearance of the exhibition. 



The exhibition of the Fairfield County Agricultural Society 

 was one that to a great degree tended to sustain the reputation 

 of the society, and undoubtedly it may be as well to speak in 

 general terms as to endeavor to particularize, since it is hardly 

 best to occupy the space of our reports to mention individual 

 entries, however gratifying the same might be to the exhibitor. 

 The design rather of these reports should be, to make such 

 suggestions as are calculated to advance the art of agriculture. 



The amount of stock was not as great as might have been 

 expected, but what was offered presented a fine appearance, 

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