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ment, could easily translate the language of fruits, of flowers, and of 

 beauty, here presented. In fact, it was an occasion like a college 

 semi-centennial or an ancient fourth of July. But these innocent 

 rivalries have long since passed away, and the fair no longer 

 merely a day of festivity, has become a gi-and educator of the people, 

 and as such we claim for it the patronage of eveiy intelhgent citizen 

 in the community. 



England, France, and America have each had their crystal palace 

 exhibition, and the genius of the world was quickened by the com- 

 petition there affoi'ded. The county agricultui'al fair furnishes an 

 indnstrical exhibition of equal dignity, if not of equal magnitude. 

 A stock raiser from Oregon the present season has visited many of 

 the agricultural fairs of New England, as well as the Western 

 States, purchasing choice breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and swine, 

 and sending them beyond the Rocky Mountains. The thinking men 

 who till the soil with brains as well as hands, now pass from one 

 fair ground to another, and are thus making the county fair the 

 grand lever which is raising our agricultural population in intelli- 

 gence, wealth and pi'osperity. Add gTeater power to the lever, and 

 it will, "with a place to stand on," (which it has already secured), 

 move the world. Let the best implements of agriculture, as well as 

 the choicest grades of stock be brought to the fair grounds, even 

 though it cost care and labor for which there is httle reward, that 

 the poor man may for one day study models, which he has no time 

 or money to spend in stud^dug abroad. Let the whole family come 

 to view the products of the soil, the choicest aud purest breeds of 

 stock, the improvement in agricultural implements and the speci- 

 mens of mechanic arts brought together, aud the result will be sooner 

 or later the planting of a tree or flower to adorn the surroundings 

 of the dwelling ; the hanging of a picture to brighten the walls of 

 a cheerless home ; upon many tables the bread shall be whiter and 

 the butter more golden ; the old scythe and plow will be displaced 

 by improved implements, and, in short, the once unattractive home- 

 stead will become the object of pride and aft'ection, not only to the 

 parents, but to the sons and daughters. 



It is true there are men who love the old rut best, but such 

 men are never seen j>t agricultural fairs. I have now in my 

 mind, a citizen of Hampshire county, who lived upon the farm 

 which had descended to him fr'om his grandfather, for sixty years, 

 yet not an acre of it, save the wood-land, was as valuable as when he 



