lO AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



gradually permeates the farming community around them. It is 

 our opinion that the results of this work, as far as apparent, are 

 such as to justify the expenditure, and that the institute is an 

 important factor in improving the condition of farm Hfe and 

 upHfting the agriculture of our State. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



The fairs held by the various agricultural societies were gen- 

 erally successful. We believe the tendency toward making the 

 educational features more prominent is increasing, and the 

 character of the exhibits of stock and farm products exceeds that 

 of former years. 



A large and interesting meeting in the interests of the agricul- 

 tural fairs of the State was held at Waterville on November 19th. 

 Many of the speakers at this meeting were men who had had a 

 ^reat deal of experience in the management of fairs, and some 

 of the papers presented, which appear in the following pages, 

 contain suggestions which we regard of great value, and which 

 we would commend to the careful consideration of all the fair 

 officials of the State. Practically all the officers of the agricul- 

 tural fairs of Maine were invited to be present, and many of 

 them availed themselves of the opportunity. 



The following figures show the business of these societies : 



Number of horses and colts exhibited 1,606 



Number of neat cattle exhibited 6,526 



Number of sheep exhibited 1,252 



Number of swine exhibited 760 



Number of poultry (coops) exhibited 2,511 



Amount of premiums and gratuities awarded $23,252.01 



Amount of trotting purses $23,015.00 



Per cent of premiums and gratuities to total awards ■ 50 



Per cent of State stipend 37-91 



Number of societies receiving stipend 46 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The requests for the annual report for 1902 have been so large 

 that we have been unable to supply all of them with the reduced 

 number which are now published. \Yq are continually having 

 calls for back numbers of these reports, which we are now unable 

 to furnish, as they have all been distributed. 



