62 THE TIM BTTNKEK PAPERS. 



to make more of a show, and you can give the premium 

 on that.&quot; 



I did not hear any more ; but I saw Jake s hired man 

 unloading a cart about an hour after ; and, I guess, if 

 Jake s sample of carrots had a half bushel in it, as the 

 rules required, it had six. 



Some of the people opened their eyes, when it was read 

 off at the close of the fair : 

 First Premium on Roadsters, Thomas Wilcox, of Smith- 



ville $5.00 



First Premium on Carrots, Jacob Frink, of Hooker- 

 town $2.00 



Bat, you see, my eyes had been opened before. The 

 only shadow of a claim these men had for a premium 

 was, that the one had the fattest horse, and the other had 

 the biggest heap of carrots. 



At the last meeting of our Farmers Club, we had up 

 the subject of root crops for discussion. Of course, each 

 man gave his experience, and among others, Jake Frink 

 gave the details of his mode of raising carrots, for which 

 he took a premium last fall. 



When it came my turn to speak, I took occasion to con 

 gratulate my neighbor on his success, but was sorry that 

 he had omitted to give one very essential item in his 

 treatment of the crop, viz., a large application of horse 

 manure. 



Mr. Frink looked very red in the face, and pretty soon 

 had occasion to go out and take the air. Whether he is 

 troubled with apoplexy, I could not say. 



Now, Mr. Editor, I think it is high time, that this 

 business of giving premiums at the fairs had an over 

 hauling. If we can t have premiums awarded according 

 to the merits of the case, one very important end of the 

 fairs is defeated. People will very soon lose their con 

 fidence in them, and will not bring out their products for 



