THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



251 



THE IMPLEMENi' PRIZES OFFERED BY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



BY A PRACTICAL FAKMEK. 



I have read with interest, and no little concern, the 

 report of the proceedings of the Bath and West of Eng- 

 land Society relative to the abolition of prizes for imple- 

 ments at their meetings. I am an old practical farmer, 

 and, I may add, an old judge of implements, having at- 

 tended at many shows. I have lived long enough to sec 

 vast improvements in agricultural mechanics brought 

 out under this system of prizes ; and I most strongly 

 advise to " let well alone." 



The prize system began in the last century. The 

 Holkam and Wobourn sheepshearings were the great 

 progenitors of the system ; but it was not till the general 

 establishment of agricultural societies, and the offer of 

 prizes by them, that agricultural mechanics attained any 

 decided advancement. It is an undoubted fact that the 

 great advances made in agricultural mechanics is attri- 

 butable mainly to the encouragement held out to mecha- 

 nicians by the suitability of the prizes and premiums offer- 

 ed by these societies ; and the science is still advancing, 

 and most satisfactorily too, under the system. Why, 

 then, are we to have such bold, such rash, innovations .' 

 Surely the love of change, or the hope of saving the 

 society's funds, has not been the object. I have the 

 pleasure to know several of the Bath and West of Eng- 

 land men. No men deserve greater credit, or possess 

 greater zeal and ability to conduct a society ; but I do 

 not favourably look upon them in the light of origina- 

 tors. They are capital managers, and show great indus- 

 try and taste in their respective departments ; but when 

 they set about a revision and a remodelling of the fun- 

 damental objects of their society, I do demur to their 

 judgment. It is no light thing to attempt to make a 

 great and decided change in the most important part of 

 the society's operations. I think they are wrong, and 

 will repent their doings : their show will now be an 

 implement bazaar, and nothing more — no trials — no 

 awards. 



Every Englishman knows the true meaning of the 

 word "prize," and duly honours it ; but it is only the 

 initiated who would fully understand the true meaning of 

 the words "certificate of merit" — a scheme advocated 

 by some of our leading manufacturers, and others. 

 Our countrymen's habits are slow to change. They 

 love old-fashioned words, particularly if full of mean- 

 ing. The word " prize" always gives its full signifi- 

 cance; it will be long before " certificate of merit" would 

 convey as much. Besides, what implement is without 

 merit, less or more ? and the certificate would merely 

 certify to its correctness. Depend upon it, our common- 

 sense men of business would be far more likely to pur- 

 chase a prize implement than a certificated one. 



Now, let us look into the subject a little, and see 

 wherein lies the difference. The old plan gives first, 

 second, and occasionally third prizes; then wc have 



high commendations, commendations, and frequently 

 special commendations in every class. The new scheme 

 gives certificates of two classes or grades. The great 

 design (as I have always understood it) in the trials of 

 implements is to test the respective merit of the various 

 implements brought under trial ; and the duty of 

 the judges is to award to each the place, and position, 

 and encouragement it deserves. Hence a first prize for 

 one, a second for another, a third for another, according 

 to their degrees of merit; then follows a high commen- 

 dation perhaps in several cases, then a commendation in 

 several others ; or if anything richly deserves it, a special 

 commendation for some particular adaptation, whilst 

 those without any particular merit are passed unnoticed. 

 No arrangement as to the awards of certificates can de- 

 fine or denote the merit of each implement better than 

 the above ; and I can see no advantage, save the econo- 

 mizing the society's funds. On the contrary, a consi- 

 derable number of these certificates must be awarded to 

 each well-contested class, or many highly deserving im- 

 plements are unfairly discarded and disgraced ; whilst, 

 on the other hand, if an award of certificates is made to 

 several, who is to judge which is considered to be the 

 best ? for they are placed too much upon a par 

 with each other. The public expect the judges to test 

 and bring out the merits of each implement ; and then 

 properly designate such by some graduated prize or 

 token of merit, which they take to be their guide in 

 making their purchases. Failing this, of what value are 

 either prizes or certificates ? 



It is said that " the implement-makers do not want 

 money prizes." I beg pardon — my experience is quite 

 to the contrary. I believe all the " little men" prefer 

 money prizes. It may be that some of Mr. Caldwell's 

 " big men" would like an honourable certificate quite 

 as well. I believe it. They have already such a long 

 list of prizes to ornament and illustrate their advertise- 

 ing sheets — i. e., of prizes obtained here, and obtained 

 there, yes, in almost all parts of the world — that some 

 little deviation from this stereotyped list would be 

 pleasing ; moreover, it would be new, and would also 

 better suit our mechanical aristocracy — a sort of star- 

 and -garter order, or blue-ribbon. Oh, no ! They don't 

 want your money — 



" I write not for your farthing, but to try 

 How I your farthing writers can outvie." 



But what is to be done with our " little men" ? Depend 

 upon it, our humble but meritorious mechanics — those 

 men who have expended much of their slender means in 

 bringing out a deserving implement — do not despise 

 money-prizes. Besides, they do not believe in certifi- 

 cates. " Give me a prize which I can blaze abroad," say 

 they, " that the world may know I've won." I have 

 frequently been requested by exhibitors to change a 



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