362 
THE CULTIVATOR 
Dec. 
Tlie Agricultural Pairs of the Season. 
A HISTORY of the rise and progress, and the 
results which have already grown out of the 
Agricultural Societies of this country would 
form a most interesting and instructive article— 
one quite too long for the columns of this journal. They 
have, however, had their origin in the minds of those 
who have seen that combined and concentrated action 
and generous emulation, were necessary to rapid agri¬ 
cultural improvement; and struggling against general 
apathy and the difficulties peculiar to their several 
localities, have risen to a degree of prominence which 
may safely be taken as the measure of success in farm¬ 
ing and the criterion of agricultural spirit in the sec¬ 
tions where they exist. They have been instrumental 
in developing to an unprecedented degree the resources 
of our soil and of stimulating our farmers to increased 
effort in making their lands more productive and their 
business more remunerative. They have brought to 
their immediate attention new and improved facilities 
for lessening hand labor, and shown more clearly than 
any argument that enterprise and skill, coupled with 
‘ untiring industry, are as necessary to the successful 
prosecution of farming as to any other employment. 
They have brought farmers into direct communicatiou 
with each other, and have been the means of forming 
and cultivating a friendly feeling and a reliance upon 
themselves, which are a surety for further advance¬ 
ment. By means of their published transactions, they 
^iave stocked the land with an agricultural literature, 
and made others participants in the benefits which they 
have secured to themselves. 
Fairs have already transpired, the present season, in 
the States of New-Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, 
New-York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio, 
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri, and with the 
single exception of that in this State, which, from the 
out-of-the-way place where it was held and the unfa¬ 
vorable weather, fell off both in the quality and extent 
of the exhibition and in its receipts, have given evi¬ 
dence of greatly increased interest on the part of farm¬ 
ers, and a healthy permanent organization. 
The County Agricultural Societies have been no less 
prosperous, and in some instances have rivalled the 
State shows in the excellence and variety of their ex¬ 
hibitions. We have been gratified at the multiplica¬ 
tion of these societies, ^pr we believe them to be pro¬ 
ductive of a great amount of good. Based upon the 
same general principles as State Societies, they come 
nearer home, and are less in danger of becoming mo¬ 
nopolies, or being stereotyped in their policy and action. 
The publication of the premiums to be awarded, the 
reports of the fairs, and the processes of farm manage¬ 
ment in the county papers, and in the transactions 
issued by most of these societies, arrests the attention 
of almost every farmer, and makes ignorance as to 
the beneficial effects of these organizations without 
excuse. 
Wc have also observed that Town Societies have been 
increasing, and we note this as a most encouraging 
fact. The town society is direct proof that-a consider¬ 
able number of farmers are awake to their own im¬ 
provement, and are desirous to incite each other to 
systematic effort and assist each other in arriving at a 
higher degree of farm culture. If your neighbor is 
making experiments, you will be more likely to derive 
advantage from them than if you read of some one a 
thousand miles away who has been doing the same. 
A very important feature of the town society, is that it 
promotes individual research and involves individual 
responsibility. To sustain one properly, each member 
must have a specific part to perform. He must do 
something to add to his own knowledge and aid in the 
enlightenment of his associates. The society is a con¬ 
tinual spur to his efforts, and prevents him from set¬ 
tling down in the prevalent notion that “ every man 
for himself” is the best motto for one who would make 
his business profitable. The frequent meetings of these 
societies for the discussion of agricultural topics, the 
comparing of experience, and the forming of plans 
for future experiment, are calculated to bring about 
beneficial results. They aid materially in developing 
the talent for expressing one’s thoughts—-a talent which 
our farmers have too long hid away in a napkin ; and 
were they sustained in every town, the remark that 
farmers have no literary character, no position in pub¬ 
lic matters, no standing in society, would soon become 
obsolete. 
Ther is no danger that town societies will detract 
from the interest of count^organizations, or that pros¬ 
perous county societies will make the State societies a 
secondary matter. On the contrary, these will mutual¬ 
ly prepare the way Tor, and build up each other. The 
efficient member of the town society is better prepared 
by his drilling in the home club for properly directing 
the more extensive interests of the county society, and 
the various counties can join their combined experience 
to infuse new life into the agricultural body politic 
of the State. Thus mutually contributing to each 
other’s prosperity, all will be gradually elevated in 
character. 
In contemplating the success which has already at¬ 
tended these organizations, we* must not lose sight of 
the idea that agricultural societies are yet in their in¬ 
fancy, and that they are still to be improved and made 
more useful. It is not the awarding of large sums of 
money in premiums, and making the Fairs a sort of 
farmers’ jubilee, that is to render our farmers wiser 
and promote the interests of sound, scientific agricul¬ 
ture. It is something back of the outside show which 
determines the actual improvement made, namely, the 
progress in intelligence of the great mass of our agri¬ 
cultural population. 
Let those who are concerned in the management of 
these societies see to it that new features are introduced 
from time to time, that new incentives to effort are 
placed before the farmer, that the standard of excel¬ 
lence is raised every year, and Agricultural. Societies 
and Agricultural Fairs will continue to be, as they have 
been, most efficient aids in making the tilling of the 
soil the most honorable and profitable of all pursuits. 
