Assuming this question is about the short story "The Lottery," written in 1948 by Shirley Jackson, it is implied that the lottery is held every year to ensure a good harvest. This is shown when Old Man Warner voices his disapproval for villages who are thinking of giving up the lottery.
Old Man Warner snorted. "Pack of crazy fools," he said. "Listening to the young folks, nothing's good enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves, nobody work any more, live hat way for a while. Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added petulantly. "Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody."
His reference to the old saying - "Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon" - alludes to how the lottery is meant to ensure that the corn harvest will be bountiful. Furthermore, his mentioning of "eating stewed chickweed and acorns" also implies that the lottery is vital (or so he thinks) in ensuring that the village will have a good harvest and, thus, eat well.
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