REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 17 



nection with granges, who have opened their halls to us without 

 expense to the state. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



Quarterly Bulletins have been published covering the work 

 of the State Dairy Inspector, Mr. Russell S. Smith; a Bulletin 

 on "The Need and Importance of Good Seed in Maine;" a 

 Bulletin containing the Laws of the State relating to Agriculture ; 

 a Bulletin on Maine Apples, Grading, Packing and Marketing; 

 a -Bulletin on "The Brown-tail and Gypsy Moths and Para- 

 sites ;" the Report of the Proceedings of the State Dairy Con- 

 ference and Fourteenth and Fifteenth Annual Meetings of the 

 Maine Dairymen's Association; and the report of the Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture, Hon. J. P. Buckley, for 1912. 



THE FAIRS. 



The annual exhibitions of the various agricultural societies 

 have been up to the usual standard, with an occasional excep- 

 tion, while a few have attained a higher excellence than ever 

 before. The officers of these associations devote very much 

 time and ability to making their fairs successful and pleasing to 

 their patrons. The associations at Lewiston, Waterville and 

 Bangor receive special appropriations from the state, the 

 amount given to Lewiston and Waterville being $2,500 to each, 

 and to Bangor $1,750. The state pays a stipend to other regu- 

 larly organized societies, numbering about 40. The sum re- 

 ceived by a society is dependent upon the amount of premiums 

 paid by it, compared with the amount of premiums paid to all 

 societies. The total paid out for these fairs in 1913 was $i4r 

 823.00; the largest sum paid to any society was $1,817.30 to the 

 Northern Maine Fair Association, and the smallest was $18.68, 

 to the Embden Agricultural Society. 



There are also a large number of local fairs held by granges 

 and other organizations that do not draw stipends. Some of 

 these latter are real "cattle shows," while others confine their 

 work to hall exhibits. The social spirit enters very largely into 

 the conduct of these shows. Many of them secure speakers on 

 farm questions. They are clean, healthy farm fairs and are of 

 much value to the nearby community. One of these which I 



