l8 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



had the pleasure of attending had 175 head of neat cattle and 

 a large number of horses and other stock. The hall exhibit was 

 also very fine. Another one I attended had a large hall crowd- 

 ed with fruit and other farm crops of high quality. They 

 held open for two days and had several speakers in attend- 

 ance. Other fairs of this class have done equally well. 



Of the fairs paid a state stipend, the most are doing good 

 work. There are, however, a limited number that for one 

 reason or another are in very bad shape. There are also a 

 few fairs of this class that have no really good excuse for 

 further existence. 



We recommend to societies receiving state stipend that they 

 give larger attention to farm crops. More and larger premiums 

 should be offered. Whenever practicable, premiums should be 

 offered on animals of either sex for work continued over a 

 period of a year or longer; such animals, and the results of 

 their work, to be shown at the annual fair. Inducements 

 should be made to bring in work of schools as is now done by 

 a few societies. Arts and manufactures should receive greater 

 attention and encouragement, especially by the larger societies. 

 We call attention to the fact that there are a few fairs that 

 pay altogether too little attention to the stock interests of their 

 section. The matter of proper sanitation should receive more 

 attention on many grounds. 



The midway is a much discussed subject. Many fair officials 

 make it altogether too prominent a feature. We think that 

 fair officials should see that there are on their grounds suf- 

 ficient places where good food and drink may be obtained 

 by all its patrons and that such places be maintained under 

 proper sanitary conditions. We recommend that all shows 

 shall be carefully scrutinized before they are admitted, and 

 that all indecent or immoral shows be refused admission to the 

 grounds under any consideration. The officials should also as 

 carefully scrutinize each game that asks for admission to its 

 grounds, and require a guarantee that it is not gambling nor a 

 game of chance and that no gambling device or game of 

 chance will be used on the grounds by it. The managers of 

 a fair are very busy and we recommend that the larger fairs 

 employ one or more persons, constables perhaps, whose only 

 duty it shall be to see that the laws of the state in regard to 



