LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 315 



These nuisances, for a small money consideration, are often given the exclu- 

 sive control of some of the most prominent localities on the fair grounds. 



Financially, this course is penny wise, but pound foolish; for every penny 

 they pay to the society, they take ninety-nine cents out of its patrons, while 

 the evil influence exerted upon our boys is much more to be deplored, and if 

 continued must cause many of our best citizens to withhold their patronage. 

 We think there might be much more practical knowledge acquired and dis- 

 seminated, if exhibitors were requested to attend more on their exhibits, and 

 explain to visitors the best methods of cultivation in producing the articles 

 they have on exhibition. 



Great care should be taken in the selection of competent judges, free from 

 individual prejudices, and well qualified to judge between a good article and a 

 monstrosity; such persons as are interested in the success of the fair, and are 

 willing to give their best services, giving no occasion for the complaint so 

 often heard, that the name of the exhibitor took the prize rather than the 

 article exhibited. 



The location of our principal fairs in or near our large cities, we consider as 

 detrimental to the best interests of farmers; for it often throws them under 

 the control of those who have no practical knowledge of agriculture, and also 

 brings our young people more directly under the influence of the outcasts of 

 society, who congregate in cities, — city sight-seeing often absorbing the atten- 

 tion that would otherwise be given to the benefits of the fair. 



We now come to the subject which has been considered by many the most 

 objectionable feature of our fairs, viz.: the races. We are of the opinion that 

 the evil results usually complained of do not oome from properly testing the 

 speed of horses, but from the manner in which it is done. There is and must 

 always be a demand for the roadster as well as the draft horse, and as speed, 

 case of motion, and endurance are necessary qualifications for this class of 

 horses, it would seem necessary that these qualities should be tested, in order 

 that just conclusions should be arrived at, and premiums properly awarded. 

 We would further suggest that all loss of time, and useless delays by jockeying 

 in scoring, should be strictly prohibited ; and, in our opinion, the best method 

 to accomplish the end would be to test each horse on time. The modern 

 horse race adds nothing of value to agricultural fairs, but is controlled by and 

 in the interest of a class of persons known as sporting men, whose occupation 

 differs as much from that of the farmer, as the board of trade man's occupa- 

 tion differs from that of the agriculturist, on whose wheat he speculates. 



The present practice of giving fifty dollars to the successful jockey who 

 wins the race in our agricultural fairs, and but five dollars to the farmer who 

 rears a premium horse, is disgustingly obvious to all, and no comment is 

 needed further than to say that it is placing a premium on an occupation, 

 which is, to say the least, considered disreputable by many. 



We have presented these suggestions, as the subject would seem to demand, 

 from a purely agricultural standpoint. It becomes farmers to look wisely 

 after their own interests, and to see that these organizations for the advance- 

 ment of our interests are conducted in such a manner as to elevate our call- 

 ing, by stimulating us to a greater effort to improve both the quantity and 

 quality of our products. 



We cheerfully accord to all producing classes the right to exhibit at our 

 fairs, that we may labor together for the good of each, and the welfare of 

 humanity. 



