G BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



in many sections where little or none existed before, and led 

 many to a higher level of thonght and effort. They should 

 be conducted with a high-toned integrity of purpose, and so 

 as to commend themselves to the confidence and respect of 

 the community ; more with reference to the good they are 

 organized to accomplish than to any temporary sensation that 

 it may be in the power of the management to create. 



It may be questioned whether the track that has come to be 

 considered'so essential to the success of the modern agricult- 

 ural "fair" has not led to the growth of abuses which ought 

 to be corrected. Wherever such abuses exist, it is the part 

 of wisdom for the societies themselves to take the initiative in 

 their correction, rather than to wait till the better part of the 

 community feel compelled to avoid and to frown upon them. 



The societies should realize more fully, the magnitude, the 

 dignity and the character of the mission they have to perform 

 in the development of the material interests of the Common- 

 wealth. They have it in their power to lift the labor of the 

 people to a higher plane of thought, and to lead the way to 

 higher triumphs of skill and intelligence ; but it is question- 

 able whether this can be done by catering to the lower tastes 

 of the public, or aiming too exclusively to create a present 

 sensation and excitement such as are too often apparent in 

 the trials of speed at some of our shows. 



There is a legitimate and proper exhibition of the qualities 

 and the power of the horse, and to this limit no reasonable 

 objection would be likely to be made ; but when-, as in too 

 many instances, the trials of speed are allowed to absorb the 

 too exclusive attention of the public, and of the officers of the 

 society, the exhibitors in other departments of a show will 

 very naturally complain, and they will he sustained in their 

 criticisms by a large and respectable portion of the commu- 

 nity, till it comes to be pretty generally admitted that the 

 exhibition is managed in the interest of a class, to the partial 

 exclusion of other classes equally important, and perhaps, 

 more deserving of official encouragement. Whether such a 

 verdict is just or not, it is desirable to conduct the affairs of 

 a society in such a manner that there shall l)c no reasonable 

 ground for question as to the motives and objects of the man- 

 agement. 



