1867.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
95 
For the American Agriculturist. 
How to Start a County Agricultural 
Society. 
We have hundreds of these societies iii all 
the older States, working efficiently for the pro- 
motion of the farmer's interests. Little need be 
said in their favor where they are known. But 
there are many counties, especially in the newer 
States, where a society has not yet been organ- 
ized, though there are wealth and population 
enough to sustain one. The want of it is seen 
and felt, and multitudes are ready to cooperate 
as soon as the leaders appear. The first thing 
to be done then, is for a few energetic men, a 
half dozen is euough, to resolve that a County 
Society shall be formed, issue a call for a meet- 
ing at some central point, a village or city with 
railroad communication if possible, and invite a 
delegation from every town in the county. At 
the meeting adopt a constitution, with the usual 
provisions, and determine to have a fair the next 
fall, at the most convenient point. 
To call out a good representation of the in- 
dustry of the county, a large premium list must 
be made out for all classes of stock, farm pro- 
ducts and manufactured articles, amounting to 
at least fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars ; 
the more the better. The raising of this sum of 
money is generally the point of embarrassment. 
The mone}' is not in hand, and the fair, which 
is to raise it by the sale of admission tickets, is 
an untried experiment. It may be a failure 
from lack of interest, from rain, or other causes, 
and leave the managers in debt. To divide up 
the responsibility equally, let a delegate be ap- 
pointed from each town, to canvass his own dis- 
trict for members. These should be of two 
kinds, annual and for 1 ife. The annual member- 
ships should be not less than a dollar each, car- 
rying with them four admission tickets for the 
fair, at twenty-five cents each. The life mem- 
berships should not be less thau five dollars, car- 
rying with them one ticket of admission every 
year, or some other equivalent privilege. A 
spirited canvasser would be able to secure at 
least a hundred dollars, or more, for these mem- 
berships in each town, and if there were twenty 
towns in the county, enough would be raised to 
cover the premium list before the fair came off. 
You might safely calculate on an advance of 
fifty per cent, for the attendance of those who 
were not members. 
Then a show bill should be issued on a large 
sheet, announcing the fair and list of premiums, 
and be posted at all places of public resort in 
the county ; railroad depots, postoffices, hotels, 
blacksmith shops, etc. A few weeks before the 
time of the fair, the managers should see that 
the county is canvassed for exhibitors. If a man 
has a line herd of blood stock, visit him, and 
make him promise to come out. Secure the at- 
tendance of every man that has anything to 
show. If there are manufacturers of any kind, 
get them out with their goods. People like to 
be noticed, and many a men will bring out their 
best, if asked, who would otherwise stay at home. 
Then, at the holding of the fair, let all the 
arrangements bo as complete as possible ; so 
that stock and goods exhibited may not be in- 
jured, and may be seen to good advantage. It 
is essential to the success of the fair that it 
should be held in some large enclosure, and if 
this is not at hand it must be extemporized with 
a high board fence. This, the lumber merchant 
or builder will attend to on contract. It is de- 
sirable that shelter should be provided for stock. 
Owners will not exhibit freely, and for succes- 
sive days, unless their cattle can be made com- 
fortable, and be well supplied with water, hay, 
and provender. A large tent will answer for 
the exhibition of fruits, vegetables, butter and 
cheese, but a building is better. The society 
should look forward to permanent grounds and 
buildings, and realize them as soon as possible. 
The starting of a County Agricultural Society 
involves a good deal of labor and expense, but 
it will pay a hundred fold. A few energetic 
men, in any county with ten thousand people, 
can accomplish it. It will aid their enterprise, 
if they sprinkle liberally among their premiums 
some good paper devoted to their art, like the 
American Agriculturist. Connecticut. 
Buildings for Agricultural Fairs. 
At a recent meeting of the Connecticut State 
Board of Agriculture, the fact dropped out that 
there was but one County Agricultural Society 
in the State, that had permanent grounds and 
buildings to accommodate stock, and all classes 
of goods offered for exhibition ; and that was 
the most flourishing of all. Is there not a logical 
connexion between the buildings and this suc- 
cess. We think the importance of permanent 
buildings is greatly overlooked. "We regard the 
housing of an Agricultural Society as essential 
to its success as the building of a church edifice 
is to the prosperity of a church. It may dwell 
in tents for a time as a matter of necessity, but 
it is never assured of a permauent existence 
until it has a home. Permanent buildings are 
an expression of the faith of its founders in its 
vitality, and impart confidence of its success to 
the community in which the} 7 are placed. It is 
a living power among them, and invites their 
co-operation. 
These buildings should be located at some 
central point in the county, or near some city 
or village easily accessible by rail or steamer. 
This, with a good exhibition and good weather, 
will secure a large attendance. The people will 
come if the place is easily accessible. Such a 
locatiou also materially affects the character of 
the exhibition. Most railroads will, on applica- 
tion, carry stock, farm products, and goods for 
the fair, at reduced price, or free of charge ; re- 
lying upon passenger tickets for their profits. 
This, of course, is an inducement for people to 
bring out their products. 
The buildings need not be of an expensive 
character, but substantial and neat ; affording 
perfect protection to all goods aud stock en- 
trusted to the care of the Society. When there 
are nothing but tents or temporary buildings, 
goods are. frequently damaged, and though the 
owners be remunerated, it always operates dis- 
astrously to the Society. The community want 
entire confidence in the managers of the Society, 
and the assurance that everything will be prop- 
erly cared for. Articles like paintings, and heir 
looms of various kinds are frequently exhibited, 
and they have a value to their owners much be- 
yond what they would bring in money. People 
who have the best articles to exhibit, will not 
forward them, unless they have security for 
their protection against damage from the 
elements. 
Stock of all kinds want protection in perma- 
nent sheds or stalls. It is found to be desirable 
at most country fairs to have the exhibition 
continued through two or more days. This 
arrangement gives not only a better opportunity 
to examine the animals, aud to see the various 
products of the farm, but affords a very impor- 
tant safeguard against failure from bad weather. 
If one day should prove stormy, and forbid 
attendance, the next may be fair, and draw the 
crowd. With good accommodations for stock, 
the owners of fine animals, who are raising 
principally to sell, will have no objection to 
exhibii a second or third day. They can be 
made as comfortable at the fair as at home ; and 
tho more they are known the better for the 
owners' interests. If there is no shelter, and 
provisions for feeding and watering are bad, it 
will be difficult to get them out. 
Permanent buildings are the capital that an 
Agricultural Society needs to do business with : 
and immediate measures should be taken in 
every county where there is a Society to secure 
them. Wisely managed, they would pay for 
themselves in a very few years, and make the 
prosperity of the institution permanent. We 
will thank any of our friends for drawings 
and descriptions of suitable inclosures and 
buildings for the use of county Or other agri- 
cultural fairs, with estimates of their cost. 
Shall we have the Address at Fairs, 
That depends entirely upon the character ef 
the address. If the speaker is a distinguished 
politician, who will improve the occasion to 
air his views of the political situation, and talk 
buncombe, it wont pay. If he is a reformer, or 
monomaniac, who will trot out his favorite hob- 
by, and show off his antics, his services may be 
dispensed with. Farmers and their wives come 
together on such occasions to learn something 
about their business, and unless the speaker has 
some experience in their calling, he should take 
other occasions to dispense his wisdom. There 
are men in almost every county who have studi- 
ed the principles of husbandry, aud practiced 
them so far as to make them intelligent critics 
of the practice of others. Sometimes the mem- 
bers of the learned professions have given spe- 
cial attention to the farm aud garden, and can 
give a good address. Whoever is invited should 
have something pertinent to saj', and be invited 
for that reason. If the address is not at hand, an 
" experience meeting " of farmers and fruit grow- 
ers should be provided for. A few practical 
questions offered for discussion will draw out 
the views of farmers from all parts of the State 
or county, and make the meeting one of great 
interest. Every one who comes to the fail- 
should have the memory of things heard, as 
well as things seen, to carry home with him. 
Breeding Young Makes. — "W. 31. B.," of 
Nelson County, Virginia, asks : " Docs breeding 
stop the growth of a young mare, that has not 
attained her full size, or does is it materially 
injure her in any respect ?" 
The best horse breeders hold, we believe, with 
few, if any, exceptions, that having a coll not onjy 
does not hurt a young mare, but, on the con- 
trary does her good, gives her constitution, bot- 
tom, and a vigor of digestive organs, and firm- 
ness of muscle, which last her through life 
with good treatment. Thoroughbred or warm 
blooded mares that have proper tare, gain suffi- 
cient maturity at 2 to 2'| 5 years, and cold 
blooded mares 3 to 3'| a , to take the horse. Of 
course, the fillies diet should be liberal, an i 
regular, and her grooming thorough. For two 
growing horses stand at her rack. Thorough- 
bred horses arrive at maturity fully a year 
earlier than others. They grow faster, are li: for 
work quicker, and. a- - injured by 
breeding considerably earlier, than it would 
be safe to breed a common mare. 
