SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 1011 



A SUCCESSFUL FAIR SEASON. 



FRO.M TWE.NTIETU CENTURY FARMER. 



Our readers have just passed through one of the most successful 

 seasons of agricultural education ever experimented by even the oldest 

 citizen. The fairs both large and small have been well patronized by 

 exhibitors and visitors. The disposition to improvement has never 

 been more pronounced in all lines of agricultural work. Each depart- 

 ment of farm work has its adherents who carry on the campaign of 

 education in the interest of the specialty or particular industry repre- 

 sented. 



The agricultural fair of the present day may very properly be 

 termed the modern agricultural object lesson school. It is through 

 these lessons by comparison of objects, animals and things that the 

 fair visitor becomes a student, a judge, a discriminator in quality 

 between the various competitive exhibits. This training is involun- 

 tary; it creeps into the mind unobserved, and the first knowledge the 

 person has that he is being educated is his asserting that "This is the 

 Best," or "That is my choice." " I would not give this cow for half a 

 dozen of the others," etc. 



- The intelligent man. woman, boy or girl who attends one of these 

 well managed county, district or state fairs and comes away saying 

 he or she is not greatly benefited does not express their honest senti- 

 ment. The agricultural fair of the present day is the greatest educa- 

 tor we have in practical farm production. No one appreciates this 

 more than the agricultural newspaper man, who attends these shows 

 from the beginning to the end of the fair season and observes the 

 people and talks to them of the impressions formed. While everyone 

 who attends the fair gains some advantage by the association or impres- 

 sions made, the exhibitor comes more directly under the educational 

 influence of the fair, and consequently reaps a greater benefit. 



If you are not already associated with the county agricultural 

 society take up the work at once. Help organize and prepare to hold 

 a fair next year. The county association is the primary school for the 

 training of our best exhibitors and fair men. 



