PROCEEDINGS AND REPORTS. 211 



The report on Art was presented by Supt, W. J. Baxter, as follows : 



DIVISION N— ART. 



To the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society : 



Gentlemen — As Superintendent of Division N, at the late State Fair, I would make 

 the following report. 



The entries in this department were more numerous, and the exhibits as a whole 

 superior to those at any previous State Fair, giving evidence of a growing interest in 

 art exhibits. 



The number of professional artists who made entries was much larger than usual, and 

 the exhibits exceptionally meritorious. The amateur list was very large, and gave 

 gratifying evidence of taste, skill and culture. 



Notwithstanding the clear instructions in the Premium List for the benefit of exhib- 

 itors, many meritorious exhibits failed to receive proper notice, from the fact that they 

 were improperly entered, and being among "enumerated articles" could not be 

 awarded discretionary premiums. Several artists who should properly have entered as 

 amateurs, made their entries in the professional class, and so came in competition with 

 professional artists of long experience and culture. 



Something may perhaps be done in our next Premium List to give exhibitors a still 

 olearer idea of the class in which their entries should be made. 



Your Superintendent began early to correspond with persons regarded by him as hav- 

 ing skill and experience in such matters, to secure entirely competent and disinterested 

 judges, a matter of great importance and no little difficulty. He was fortunate in 

 securing a committee of gentlemen whose acknowledged taste, ability and disinterest- 

 edness secured ready acquiescence in their awards, not only by the public but also by 

 exhibitors, many of whom were necessarily disappointed. 



The committee have made some suggestions as to offering premiums in future, which 

 are commended to your attention. They recommend that premiums to young artists 

 should be restricted to premiums for drawing by those under 16 years of age. Mere 

 ambitious attempts by young artists they beUeve should not be encouraged. 



The whole number of entries in Division N was as follows : 



Division N, Class 61, enumerated 178, unenumerated 14, total 193 



'• 62, •' 154, " 21, " 175 



Total 367 



Premiums offered in Class 61, $761.00; in Class 62, $174.00; total $935 00 



Awarded in Class 61, enumerated $638.00, unenumerated $17.00, total $655 00 



" 62, " $123.00, " $13.00, " 136 00 



Total $791 00 



I would express my obligation to the gentlemen who consented to act as judges, and 

 ■who gave their entire time for two full days to a careful examination of the entire 

 entries in the department, and whose awards were made strictly in accordance with the 

 rules prescribed bv the Society, with an earnest desire to so interpret them in any case 

 of doubt or obscurity as to do full justice to exhibitors. 



W. J. BAXTER, 



Superintendent. 



