BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 277 



■some public opinion. Sucli may bet on the speed of a horse, on the 

 strength of a pair of oxen, the product of a cow, or the weight of 

 swine ; but should betting occur among the few, onght the society to 

 be held answerable for it ? Would it not be unwise to exclude all 

 trial of speed of horses from our shows, even on moral considerations? 



People of all ages, sexes and occupations, view with pleasure the 

 graceful movements of the trotting horse. They assemble from the 

 farm, the shop, and from their several vocations, where they have 

 toiled through the heat of summer, to enjoy a gala day, and they find 

 a healthy and satisfactory recreation in a well conducted agricultural 

 exhibition. 



To exclude the excitement of the exhibition of horses would be to 

 abate a very attractive feature of the show, and would also have a 

 decided tendency to multiply Iwrsc shows, — where may be found any 

 amount of trotting, betting, profanity and intemperance. Our youth 

 would find the way there, and instead of witnessing a fair and orderly 

 trial of speed under the care of parents and guardians, whose presence 

 and dignity would serve as a wholesome restraint, they v.^ould meet 

 with more. of the brute in man. 



Would it not be better to seek to control this amusement under the 

 fostering care of agricultural societies, rather than disown and cast it 

 off to assume a more reckless, exclusive and objeetionable form? It 

 is not an easy matter to decide where competition shall begin and 

 where end. The Avhole exhibition is one of competition, and was 

 established for the commendable purpose of " provoking one another 

 to good works.""' ♦ 



Interest alone will induce societies to return to that course of pro- 

 cedure that shall abide the test of public opinion. Liwiedicde pecun- 

 iary advantage cannot be a sufficient inducement to the continuance 

 of a practice that may jeopardize the usefulness of agricultural societies. 



The courses on our fair grounds may serve a useful purpose by being 

 used for showing the action of horses exhibited i;nder the entries of 

 saddle horses, road horses, or other classifications. They may also 

 be made available for other uses. A closing scene at the fair, of 

 great attractiveness, may be had by a well arranged procession of the 

 prize animals moved round the course at a moderate pace, preceded 

 by a cavalcade of ladies, and line of horses and carriages ; and as a 

 reminder of our puritan origin, the antiquarian should be allowed to 

 contribute to the public entertainment by an exhibition of the customs 



*The committee acknowledge their obligation to a writer in the New England 

 Farmer, whose lucid and fair treatment of this subject, can^e very opportunely under 

 their notice. 



