42 THE HISTORY OF THE 



of which he became an active member in 1848. He soon 

 came to a leading place in its councils, and filled with 

 honor the office of President for sixteen years. For many- 

 years he held many important official positions in agri- 

 cultural societies, wrote much on farm topics, and was 

 a constant exponent of the best methods of practical 

 farming. 



In 1907, 1908, 1909, the exhibitions were very credit- 

 able. James C. Poor of Andover sent his herd of choice 

 Holsteins; T. Jefferson Coolidge of Manchester his fine 

 Guernseys. There were fat cattle from Charles J. Pea- 

 body's Topsfield farm, interesting displays of manufac- 

 tures, and the Merchants' Bazaar. The Midway had now 

 become a grotesque feature of the attractions, with its 

 merry-go-rounds and Ferris wheel, ring-tossers, fortune 

 tellers, African dodgers, novelty boards, fakes and fakirs 

 of every sort. The horse show, hurdle races and firemen's 

 contests had more dignified place on the track. The bal- 

 loon, fireworks and vaudeville were constant features. 

 But the financial situation grew more acute each year. 

 There was a constant popular demand for the horse race 

 as the thrilling thing which would draw the crowd and 

 fill the treasury, and equally firm insistence by the officers 

 of the Society that the track was not suitable, that it could 

 not be introduced without large initial expense, that the 

 Middlesex-Reading Fair, with its big grand stand and 

 half-mile track, had proved a financial failure and had 

 held no Fair for two years, and that every Agricultural 

 Society making this venture faced bankruptcy. 



The Fair of 1909 involved a deficit of $314, and it was 

 patent that a radical change of policy was necessary. A 

 mortgage of $6,000 had been placed upon the Fair 

 Grounds. The amusement of the multitude was in danger 

 of becoming the principal factor in the plans of the 

 Society. Already there had been great departure from 

 the primary design of promoting agriculture. There 



