98 BOARD OF AGEICULTUKE. 



• 



The five-heat race system was adopted with satisfactory results 

 last year by members of the best meetiugs in Indiana. This is the 

 rule at the Illinois and Indiana State Fairs, and should be univer- 

 sally observed upon all race tracks. It is a humane idea of testiug 

 speed within reasonable limit. In speed classes now it is the usual 

 thing to allow a horse to enter in more than one race, with the 

 privilege of paying entrance only in the race in which it is started. 



I wish to speak now about advertising the fairs. Now every- 

 body reads the newspapers, and from this source of knowledge the 

 residents of the city as well as the country generally form their 

 opinions upon every public question, and since the establishment 

 of the rural routes, fair managers will lose their fairest prospect 

 of success if they do not make use of this medium of advertising 

 the fairs. The old flaming poster, "The Best Fair on Earth," and 

 other meaningless catchwords will not attract attention any more. 

 This form of advertising is out of date. You must give the patrons 

 of fairs sensible reading matter about which they can think and 

 talk. A bureau to distribute this sort of information might be 

 taken up by the State Board with profit to the State Fair as well 

 as to the local fairs. Thus, in a condensed form, printed slips 

 could be forwarded to the County Secretaries for insertion in 

 the local newspapers of their counties ; and thus not only the 

 State Fair might be greatly popularized, but local organizations 

 would be equally benefited. These are merely suggestions, and 

 are presented only for consideration and discussion. Numerous 

 other questions should be discussed, and doubtless will be, that 

 are very important to fair managers. Each one present should 

 freely tell of his experiences and observations, should tell of better 

 methods in all departments of our work. 



Mr. Mitchell, Princeton: It seems to me there ought to be a 

 program arranged and the subjects assigned, so as to bring the 

 matter up in good form. In your address and in the Secretary's 

 report a number of good suggestions are made. We are running 



