No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 521 



Uoiuil. Thoy ai-(" cutting- out all this fake show business and are 

 utilizing their local exhibitions for the benefit of the agricultural 

 people in the connnunities in which they are held and are making 

 them strict'y agricultural shows. For instance, in the fair ground 

 there is a set of experiment plots, conducted by experts. The plots 

 are located on vacant land within the fence that surrounds the fair 

 ground, so that when visitors come to the summer or autumn fairs, 

 there are demonstrated a number of interesting field experiments 

 right before them; experiments in grains, in grasses, fruit crops, 

 fertilizers. There is somebody there to show the visitors precisely 

 what these things mean. A great deal of improvement has come to 

 their agriculture through the use of these experiment plots that are 

 in the fair grounds of the agricultural societies in Ontario. 



Then they have expert judges, who are thoroughly capable to 

 come and take animals into the arena and there show what consti- 

 tutes superiority in animals for breeding, or for draught or for 

 driving, as well as what constitutes superiority in animals for milk 

 and the characteristics of breed swine. So that the exhibition of 

 each is an educational feature of their fair. These demonstrations 

 by experts are held at ditferent periods of the time during which 

 the fair is held. They also have a cooking school for the ladies going 

 on all the time. Here are given demonstrations of how things are 

 done according to modern scientific ways with reference to the 

 preparation and cooking of food. They also have lectures on hy- 

 giene. 



Then, in addition to the instructive features of the fair, the sam- 

 ples that are placed on exhibition are not merely for the purpose of 

 showing the superiority of the particular product, but the person 

 that is exhibiting it has an opportunity to sell it, and if you w'ant to 

 purchase ten bushels or one hundred bushels, of the grain of which 

 this is a sample, you have an opportunity to do so. It makes it con- 

 venient for the owner to be able to sell his entire product at the fair, 

 whatever it may be. So that it is a great advantage to persons, who 

 are interested in agriculture, to attend the fair. 



It seems to me that our countv societies could be so organized 

 as to furnish a stock farm and keep one or two well-bred stallions, 

 one or two well-bred bulls, perhaps several swine and several bucks, 

 and so on through the list, in every county of the State. The result 

 would be of great benefit to our farming industry. The service 

 might, first of all, be for the members of the association at a nominal 

 rate and then allow the general public to have the use of these 

 animals at a reasonable price. This method there is no doubt would 

 result in having a better class of animals bred. I believe we might 

 not only improve the animal industry of our State in a very few 

 years, if we had such a breeding establishmeni in everv countv, but 

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