158 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



jockeyings which carry the price whicli a breeder can profitably 

 sell at to three times that price before the animal reaches the 

 person who actually wants him for use. If it were known that 

 horses of all kinds would be offered for sale at a horse market 

 on any day of the year ; if the day were entered in the almanacs 

 as regularly as the eclipses, the time of sunrise and sunset; if 

 it were made known that this was a real horse market, that no 

 premiums were offered, no betting allowed, no racing or trials 

 of speed between horses ; but that every facility would be 

 furnished for any one to exhibit his horse, whatever his qualifi- 

 cations might be, a new and brilliant era would dawn upon 

 this branch of agricultural enterprise. 



This would bring horses of every class there. Buyers would 

 meet what they wanted in the number thus exhibited, and 

 would defer their purchases to this occasion. One day or more, 

 if thought advisable, might be taken for an exhibition for prizes, 

 which need be little more than diplomas to such as deserve it. 

 Such charges upon stock entered and sold might be made as 

 would cover the expenses attending the selling department. 

 These fairs or open markets are common all over Europe, and 

 have been found to work most successfully. Should one be 

 established here, it would bring persons from every part of the 

 United States either to sell or to buy. 



This is one of those cases where a great general good might 

 be accomplished at a comparatively small expense. The Com- 

 monwealth at large is interested in it, and there would seem to 

 be no just reason why a small appropriation should not be made 

 annually to assist the carrying out some such a plan as is here 

 suggested. 



A mere show is not enough; a passing interest is excited and 

 then the whole thing is forgotten. But it would be very different 

 with a fair established permanently, and held annually. Every 

 farmer or breeder who has a horse to sell, prepares him for the 

 annual fair. Dealers and others wishing to buy would take 

 advantage of such an occasion to supply themselves, and the 

 two classes are brought thus together from motives of self- 

 interest, — a far better and more regular incentive, than a love 

 for novelty or excitement, which is tlie motive power of too 

 many that now attend our agricultural shows where trials of 

 speed are allowed. 



