998 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Washingtou was greatly interested in the subject and was a member 

 of the Philadelphia society. He, John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jeffer- 

 son were practical farmers on a large scale. Arthur Young and Sir 

 John Sinclair of England were active participants in agricultural organ- 

 ization at this time and in matter of information were esteemed author- 

 ity. These gentlemen suggested the value of a national board fostered 

 by government appropriation. Washington's idea was the formation of 

 smaller societies which would be auxiliary to the greater one. Upon this 

 basis societies were organized and continued to be organized in the states 

 with varying results. • 



The first agricultural fair held in this county was at Washington in 

 1804, at that time descibed as "a city in the woods". The premium in- 

 centive at this fair for the exhibition of choice produce and live stock 

 Avas $100, which was apportioned in the various departments. 



The next fair was held by the Columbia Agricultural society for the 

 promotion of rural domestic economy at Georgetown, D. C. This was 

 held in 1810 and large premiums were offered, especially on sheep and 

 wool. Bezeleel Wells of Stubenville, 0., was a prominent exibitor at this 

 fair of the Black-Top Delaine Merino sheep, a well known type of sheep at 

 our present day fairs. 



In 1816 the Massachusetts society held a fair at Brighton, where prem- 

 iums were offered for a plowing match of trained ox teams. These fairs 

 excited much rivalry and a spirit of contest rapidly developed, as well as 

 the advantage of acquiring hints for improvements in methods of work. 

 They were also commented upon as good advertising mediums for the 

 breeder of good stock, resulting often in a rich harvest in sales. 



At many of the fairs addresses were made by prominent agriculturists 

 on topics calculated to interest and instruct the people; also papers were 

 read which were collected and afterwards printed for the benefit of the 

 public. 



For the first forty years of the ninteenth century the organization of 

 county and state fairs was not marked with much energj^ or frequency. 

 But the period between 1840 and 1850, state and county fairs were 

 numerously formed over the country, and since that time scarcely an 

 agricultural district within our national limits have been without the 

 county or state fair, until at the present time no less than 2,000 active 

 agricultural fairs are in organiation in the United States. 



The agricultural fair of the present day may very prudently be 

 termed the legitimate offspring of agricultural education. The tendency 

 is to seek information for a bettering of farm conditions, everywhere, 

 throughout all districts where agriculture forms a part of the business 

 interests of the people. This desire for agricultural knowledge and 

 training may be seen in the increased number of agricultural schools; 

 in the disposition of our citizens for increased appropriations for the 

 maintenance and better equipment of these schools; in the rapid 

 growth of the farmers' institute, which has become in a measure the 

 local agricultural school of the community or county in which it is 

 organized; in the introduction of the elementary principles and the 



