418 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ART DEPARTMENT. 



The art exhibit, superintended by Prof. A. H. Griffith, of the Detroit 

 Museum of Art, comprised many fine pictures by noted professional artists, 

 smd pictures and statuary loaned, as well as a very large collection of the 

 work of Amateur artists, made a very satisfactory show in the Michigan 

 building. 



It is greatly to be regretted that the space used for this exhibit is not at 

 all adapted to an art gallery, as the arrangement for light is so imperfect as 

 to make it difficult to arrange the paintings so as to show them properly. 

 It is hoped that a properly constructed art gallery will soon be possible, and 

 that this department of the Fair can be greatly enlarged and improved. 



NEEDLE-WORK DEPARTMENT. 



To I. H. Butterfield, Secretary Michigan Agricultural Society: 



In accordance with rule six of said society, I submit the following as my 

 report for my department for the year 1906: 



The number of entries for the year 1906 in division was 788. The num- 

 ber of entries for 1905 in all classes was 515, a very gratifying increase in. 

 exhibits. 



I would recommend a further revision of the premium list, the revision 

 made last year was quite satisfactory to the exhibitors, and helped to make 

 a better exhibit. 



I would further recommend that we place in the building some system 

 of glass cases in which to exhibit and care for the delicate and costly exhibits, 

 as under the present system a great many of the fine and costly articles get 

 almost ruined by the dust and constant handling, and exhibitors tell me 

 if we do not make better arrangements for the protection of their exhibits 

 they cannot afford to exhibit. 



WM. DAWSON, 



Supt. 



EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT. 



This department, under the superintendency of Thos. Sattler, commis- 

 sioner of schools for Jackson county, was larger than heretofore at any fair, 

 and the quality of work is annually improving. A greater number of 

 schools are taking an interest in the exhibit, and its growth depends almost 

 solely on the capacity of a building to hold it. While Mr. Geo. B. Horton 

 is the superintendent of this department, the details of the work were in the 

 hands of Mr. Sattler, who proved very efficient and capable. 



HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. 



Mr. Fred Postal, Esq., President State Agricultural Society, Detroit, Mich.: 

 Dear Sir — I herewith submit my report for the past season of the work 

 done in the horticultural department of the State Fair, and especially of the 

 exhibits at the annual fair, since it came under my direction; 



Although the department was badly handicapped by the early date at 

 which the fair was held, the fruit growers of the state responded freely and 

 made what was generally conceded to be the largest and finest exhibit of 

 fruit ever made in Michigan. Had the Fair been held three weeks later the 

 fruit would have been much larger and higher colored, and the number of 



