376 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



a treasurer who lias been absolutely honest. My criticism is not di- 

 rected against any individual, but against the method. 



At the close of the fair of 1905 bjlls amounting to hundreds of dol- 

 lars were presented for payment, and neither the president, secretary, 

 nor any member of the business committee had any knowledge of the 

 same. To prevent the i>ossibility of loss from the repetition of such 

 a condition, I would recommend that the secretary procure proper order 

 blanks, and that all orders for supplies, or other matter which in any ' 

 manner would cause any financial liability to this society, must come 

 through the office of the secretary, and that no officer be permitted to 

 create any financial liability against this society except upon the writ- 

 ten order of the secretary, issued upon request of the proper officers. 

 It must occur to you that unless some such system is adopted the 

 society is liable to have improper bills presented. 



In visiting the officers of other fair associations, I learn that our 

 premiums are lower than those of nearly all other fairs, and I desire 

 to call the attention of the premium committee to this fact and to 

 recommend that so far as possible our premiums be increased, particu- 

 larly in the stock and agricultural classes. 



While at Toronto for the purpose of securing what information 

 might be of assistance to me as your president, I learned that it was 

 the practice of the Toronto Exposition Society for a limited time to sell 

 tickets at a reduced rate, and the past year, before the gates of the fair 

 were opened, they had sold and received on same |35,000 ; thus assuring 

 the financial success of the fair for 1905. Therefore, I would recom- 

 mend that you authorize your president and business committee to take 

 such steps and proceedings as they deem best for the year 1906 and to 

 sell such ti'ckets in advance and at such price as they shall deem for 

 the best interests of the society, such sale of tickets to close the Satur- 

 day preceding the opening of the fair. 



I would recommend that the committee on rules make a careful re- 

 vision of the by-laws and rules of the society, eliminating obscure and 

 useless rules and substituting changes in acordance with improved 

 methods as indicated by experience and observation. 



I understand that for some xenrs some attention has been given in 

 the premium list toward aiding the newer counties of the State by of- 

 fering premiums for county exhibits of agricultural products from 

 those counties, and that the people of some of those counties have taken 

 such interest in this matter as to make appropriations through their 

 board of supervisors to aid in making such exhibits at the state fair, 



I recommend that these premiums be continued on a liberal scale 

 with the purpose in view of aiding in every way possible the develop- 

 ment of the northern portion of our State. 



In addition to what may be done for the upper peninsula in the direc- 

 tion of agricultural exhibits, I would suggest that steps be taken to 

 secure from that section a creditable mineral exhibit at the fair of 

 lOOC), and that such a department be created with a superintendent, as 

 in other departments. 



Now that this society has a jjermanent home and during the past 

 year has built and placed u])on the grounds of the society a number of 

 very costly and beautiful buildiugs, it occurs to me some steps should 

 be taken at once with a view of beautifying and improving the appear- 



