1008 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



urgent demand for the stimulating influences and educational advan- 

 tages tiiat accompany the well organized and properly conducted county 



fair. 



The greatest incentive in county fair work is the cultivation of a 

 friendly spirit of rivalry among the people in the county in what is 

 being produced and owned on the farm and in the home. The county 

 fair is what the people make it. To some the fair is only a matter 

 of diversion, a few days of recreation and sight-seeing; to others it 

 is an open book they read as they go from exhibit to exhibit. Each 

 department opens up a new and interesting topic for study, considera- 

 tion and discussion. The educational influence is great, even with 

 those who seem to be but slightly interested; the casual observer is 

 benefited, some new idea is brought before his mind or immature ones 

 developed into pi'actical thought. 



The county fair is of greatest practical benefit to the exhibitor. 

 When the farmer or stock grower enlists as an exhibitor at the county 

 fair the seeds of improvement have been sown and the results will be 

 found ecich year on the farm by improved grains, improved stock and 

 improved machinery and a general spirit of advancement in all lines of 

 agriculture. 



The social feature of the county fair is an important consideration 

 v,-ith the family and should not be lost sight of in taking up the advan- 

 tages of fair organization. The boys and girls on the farm demand 

 more recreation, amusement and social advantages than are usually 

 afforded them. The three or four days' fair may be made quite help- 

 ful as a social feature to the families in the various neighborhoods. 

 Who will deny that the remembrance of the old county fair back at 

 the old home does not bring dreams of pleasure and visions of glad- 

 ness to the hearts of the fathers and mothers of today? Then why not 

 extend to our boys and girls more of the refining influence of social 

 Intercourse? The county fair may be made a great social event in 

 any community. It is much easier to place the county fair upon a 

 high educational, moral and social plane than to invite rowdyism, dis- 

 sipation and obscenity within it gates. 



A very important feature of advantage to be gained by the county 

 fair organization is the representation it gets on the state board of 

 agriculture. Most states make the county agricultural society an aux- 

 iliary to the state organization. In this there is great advantage, as 

 the one is made to help the other, and the county society becomes a 

 part in interest and action with the state association. If your county 

 has not an agricultural society organized proceed at once to organize 

 one. Call together a number of your best representative farmers and 

 stockmen from various sections of the county and organize under direc- 

 tion of your state board of agriculture. Send to the secretary of the state 

 board of agriculture for a form of constitution and bylaws and enlist 

 '\t once in the encouragement of improved agriculture by giving annual, 

 exhibitions of what the farm produces. 



