. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 571 



improvement in the modes of conducting our fairs, but the sus- 

 tained and increasing interest manifested in the fair of 1856, 

 show that they are adapted to the wants of the people. They 

 supply some great social and industrial necessities. I may be 

 permitted to allude to misconceptions, as to the object and inten- 

 tion of fairs : It seems to be supposed that they are for the pur- 

 pose of displaying monstrosities — a ready method of publishing 

 the biggest, fattest, and most elaborate — a way to gratify the 

 spirit of rivalry, and encourage extravagant and profitless exi^en- 

 ditures. 



On the contrary let our State and County Societies spare no 

 pains to encourage what is really meritorious, and particularly 

 to encourage inquiry as to the best and cheapest way of accom- 

 plishing desirable results. It is to be regretted that the premiums 

 offered by the State Society, for well conducted experiments have 

 not been responded to as they should have been. A fat hog may 

 not be entitled to a premium, but a hog fattened by a cheaper 

 process than had hitherto been divulged would deserve very 

 marked attention. So of large yields of vegetable products; 

 when they can be secured with marked diminution of cost they 

 are not only entitled to premiums, but every particular of their 

 production should be carefully promulgated. The managers of 

 Agricultural Societies are beset with difficulties, and are not 

 always fortunate in having their acts regarded in the light of 

 christian charity, I would not therefore wish to enlarge their 

 labors or augment the difficulties of their position; and yet it 

 strikes me that while our organizations have been powerful stim- 

 ulants to improvement, they have failed to accomplish all that i3 

 attainable. 



An Agricultural fair should not come by chance, or be a " col- 

 lection of miscellanies," miscellaneously arranged. 



All recent inventions, at any rate all improvements^ sliould be 

 called out, classified and arranged so tliat visitors can at a glance 

 compare one with another and decide between tlnMu. lltTc are 

 fifty dilft'rent models of fence, side hy side; there are a dozen 

 reapers and mowers; and yonder the cultivators and j)lo\vs are in 

 formidal)le array — let the public judge between tliem. 



A " collection^'' worthv of the name can not be made without 

 the direct intervention of the officers of the Society — they should 



