314 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PROPER METHOD OF CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 



BY D. M. GAEDNEK. 

 [Read at Farmington Institute.] 



AVe shall take for granted, that the method which will result in the greatest 

 good to the greatest number of those engaged in the occupation of agriculture, 

 should be adopted. 



Fairs have been in existence in England and other European countries for 

 centuries. These fairs were first instituted as places of traffic in general mer- 

 chandise, with but little reference to the agricultural development of the 

 country, or the improvement of its products. These fairs were all conducted 

 on the same plan, differing only to suit the moral and social condition of the 

 people. And as the sale of all kinds of merchandise which fashion could 

 devise, or fancy covet, was the great object to be attained, it was deemed 

 necessary to devise some means by which the great mass of the people could be 

 brought together. To accomplish this object, all manner of devices were 

 resorted to, among which were cudgel-playing, cock fights, sack races, wheel- 

 barrow races, greased pigs, games of chance, and, in some instances, honors 

 were conferred on the hero who could drink his fellows drunk. These 

 drolleries had the desired ellect of attracting large crowds, but resulted in 

 degrading the morals of the people. 



This class of fairs, among which were Bartholomew fair, near London, 

 Greenwich fair, Glascow fair, and Donny brook fair, near Dublin, has become 

 extinct, by the withdrawal of the support of the better classes on account of 

 their pernicious influence upon the people. 



The fairs that have been retained as of value are the stock market fairs of 

 England and Scotland. At these fairs some of the finest stock in the United 

 Kingdom is placed upon the market in general competition, and buyers come 

 from long distances to make their purchases. These fairs have proved to be 

 of great value, both to the buyers and sellers, and have been a great aid in 

 raising their stock to its present high state of perfection. 



Our American fairs, though organized on an entirely different plan from 

 those of England, are in many respects more in keeping with the rapid 

 progress we have made in the methods of agriculture. The excluding of the 

 market feature from our fairs, and adopting the system of awarding premiums 

 to those producing the finest specimens in the different classes of exhibits, has 

 undoubtedly had a great tendency to stimulate the agriculturist to a greater 

 effort for the production of better specimens in his line of products, than any 

 other system could have done. 



Yet, if we should add to our fairs a department especially for the purchase 

 and sale of well bred stock, where producers would be brought in direct com- 

 petition, and the purchasers could make their selection with better satisfac- 

 tion, in our opinion the practical value of our fairs would be largely increased. 

 But instead of adopting this most redeeming feature of the European fairs, 

 we are adopting those things that caused their destruction, viz. : Those dis- 

 reputable concerns, among which we might mention, the wheel of fortune in 

 divers forms, throwing balls to knock down rag babies to win or lose cigars, 

 target-shooting for the same purpose, and in some instances the open saloon, 

 and many other devises for swindling men and boys out of their money. 



