186 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



itated here all at once ; but were farmers willing 

 to get up such fairs, they would find purchasers, 

 and ready ones, too, and would learn to buy and 

 sell, a system of education they stood much in 

 need of. 



Charles G. Davis, of Plymouth, was of the 

 opinion that those who established such fairs as 

 had been recommended would prove themselves 

 the greatest benefactors of the farmers of New 

 England. They would be found superior to all 

 the shows, exhibitions and colleges that could be 

 instituted. This being what he deemed an in- 

 controvertible fact, the question arose prominent- 

 ly — how could they he brought about ? The best 

 initiatory process, in his opinion, was, to let 

 every farmer lend his earnest personal influence 

 to establish them. It was too true that farmers 

 not only frittered away their time in petty ped- 

 dling of small articles of stock, but also submit- 

 ted too freely to the interpolation of middlemen 

 between him and the consumer, to the prejudice 

 of both. It was impossible that a farmer, with 

 produce to sell, could tell what was, or what was 

 not, the market price of any description of it, so 

 long as he depended on the dicta of these ped- 

 dling middlemen — who hindered the producer 

 and the consumer from coming together and di- 

 viding the profits of labor and purchase. Were 

 market fairs established, a diff'erent policy would 

 be introduced ; and it ought to be for the inter- 

 est and advantage of both that they should join 

 in the institution of such fairs. They would con- 

 vince the Massachusetts farmer of what he was 

 now in much doubt, that farming was a profita- 

 ble occupation ; and that where system prevails 

 in working, buying and selling, it could be dem- 

 onstrated to be so. Mr. Davis wished every one 

 present, when they went home, to bring their ag- 

 ricultural friends together, and see whether they 

 will refuse to sell to pedlers, and carry their pro- 

 duce to market on the market day ; if they 

 would so agree, they would soon realize the ben- 

 efits. He mentioned that Mr. Fay, himself and 

 another party had been chosen by the State 

 Board of Agriculture to present this matter to 

 the community, with the view that it should be 

 brought to speedy perfection, were such the pop- 

 ular wish ; and if any objections existed against 

 the proposition, he hoped they would be heard 

 here — provided any objector was in the audience. 



Mr. Dodge, of Hamilton, (author of an essay 

 on the subject under discussion.) said, at the first 

 glance into it, he thought there were more rea- 

 sons opposed than in favor of the proposition ; 

 but these were soon obviated by consideration, 

 and the result of it was seen in the pamphlet 

 which he had written, and which had been pub- 

 lished. He would not repeat his opinions here ; 

 but it was enough to point to the establishment 



of the Shoe Exchange, in evidence that great re- 

 sults could flow from small beginnings ; and if 

 proved in the case of the shoe business, why 

 should farming be an exception? Mr. Dodge, 

 paid his respects to the pedlers and lorestallers 

 and exposed the disadvantages under which the 

 farmer suffered at their hands. It was they who 

 demonstrated to the farmer that there was no 

 profit in his occupation ; and the demonstration 

 would continue until the forestallers were fore- 

 stalled by regular markets, and regularly remu- 

 nerative prices. As a sample of the operations 

 of these parties, last fall — they made a raid into 

 the rural districts and bought up all the apples 

 they could find at $2 per barrel, and onions at 

 $1,50. Now the former were worth $3,50 and 

 the latter $3— and fast at that; but there the 

 forestallers had previously got advantage of the 

 producers. This should not-have been; nor 

 would it long be, were farmers only disposed to 

 do justice to themselves, and establish market 

 fairs. 



JosiAH QuiNCY, Jr., made a humorous speech, 

 showing the value of intelligence to the farmer 

 — and especially that which associated itself with 

 a proper market. The sentiments expressed this 

 evening were precisely what every farmer should 

 entertain and carry out into practice, to the dis- 

 comfiture of the forestaller, who was the great 

 public enemy, whether the producer or consumer 

 was concerned. As one phase of the operations 

 of this class, Mr. Quincy said, when he was 

 Mayor of Boston, he was informed that more 

 than 6000 pounds of poultry were thrown over 

 the wharves into the sea rather than it should 

 be in the market and lower the price ! He thor- 

 oughly approved the proposition made to-night, 

 and would give it his aid in every shape in which 

 it would avail. He looked on it as being the 

 most important one that had been made in his 

 hearing, for a long time, and the public ought 

 to be obliged to the gentlemen who had spoken 

 for the interest they had taken in this essentially 

 important matter. 



John Brooks, of Princeton, spoke in favor 

 of home markets, and argued that they would be 

 found the most profitable — although he was not 

 willing to be considered as an opponent of mar- 

 ket fairs. Perhaps they would do as well as was 

 anticipated. He was afraid that forestalling could 

 be carried as well into a market as into a farm- 

 yard ; and had some belief that farmers were not 

 so very ignorant concerning the proper prices of 

 produce as they were represented to be. Mr. 

 Brooks spoke of the system of English farming 

 in accordance with data which we fear has not 

 been gleaned from a very reliable source, (as re- 

 gards arable farming,) to prove that the farmers 

 there made no more profit on the sura invested 



