FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART XI. 



SO on, giving in writing reasons for so doing. For correctness of placing 

 a score of 40 was possible, and for the reasons substantiating the placing 

 a score of 30. 



After the corn judging the young men were set to work judging a 

 class of cows, Red Polled, and then a ring of two-year-old grade steers. 

 They were also required to judge a ring of aged Percheron stallions, and 

 a'lso a ring of harness horses. Prof. W. J. Rutherford, of Ames, had charge 

 of this and general direction of the contest. After the animals were 

 judged by the contestants they were judged by Prof. C. v . Curtiss. 



FAIRS AS EDUCATORS. 



Breeders' Gazette. 



The public-spirited agriculturists who are laboring earnestly for the 

 establishment of a State fair in Tennessee through public aid are en- 

 couraged by the friendly sentiment which exists in the legislature now 

 in session. The appropriation they seek is certainly modest enough, 

 but it appears there is some danger of the defeat of the bill on the 

 ground that larger appropriations are deemed necessary for educational 

 work in that State. This one fact should insure aid for the establish- 

 ment of a State fair. Such exhibitions are essentially educational in 

 their character. The liberal appropriations of public funds which have 

 been made by many of the States for such fairs rest on no other ground. 

 Fairs are not held for purposes of amusement, nor primarily to encourage 

 trade. Incidentally some features may serve as entertainment and cer- 

 tainly a fair stocked with well-displayed exhibits is calculated to pro- 

 mote the purchase of animals and implements of value to the farmer, 

 but this is part and parcel of its educational character. The fundamental 

 idea of such exhibitions is to bring the farmer in touch with better 

 stock, better implements and better methods, and purchase naturally 

 follows the acquisition of knowledge of improved material and methods. 



The educational value of such fairs is time-proved. It is no longer 

 in argument among those who have had observation of the practical 

 benefits which flow from such exhibitions. Vast sums have been added 

 to the wealth of the agricultural world by reason of the ideas and 

 information acquired by sttidy of fairs. The Tennessee legislators who 

 are seeking to strengthen the cause of education in that State should 

 consider the State fair proposition directly in line with their effort. 

 Such a fair would prove a great factor in the education of the class of 

 people on whose intelligent use of the soil depends in a very large 

 measure the material prosperity of the State. Farmers in Tennessee 

 should advise their legislators to this effect. The preliminary work 

 has been done by disinterested, determined men. The matter is now 



