454 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



volumes of facts and experiences in practical agriculture, horticulture, 

 manufactures and domestic art as we do not now have, such as cannot be 

 gathered from any other source and which would be of inestimable value 

 to all who are or may be engaged in industrial pursuits. 



While such a system may be too elaborate and require too much time, 

 as the society is organized, yet I am sure that something can profitably 

 be done beyond the mere awarding and distributing of prizes. 



Let us go back to the old idea and practice of making the annual 

 exhibit an educator and help to the public. Each animal placed on 

 exhibition should have attached to its stall or pen in such form as can 

 easily be seen and read, a card giving the breed, exact age, name and 

 residence of exhibitor. Eacii exhibit of fruit should have attached, the 

 name of the variety and where grown; exhibits of vegetables should 

 have the same. Attached to samples of grain should be the name of the 

 variety, yield per acre and kind of soil on which grown. Such informa- 

 tion is of extreme value to all visitors and can easily be- furnished. It 

 occurs to me that exhibitors are equally interested with the society in 

 giving such information and should co-operate in providing it. As far 

 as possible, opportunity should be given for testing agricultural imple- 

 ments and machinery, that farmers may be able to see the comparative 

 quality of the work done by the different implements used for similar 

 purposes. 



It would be interesting and educational, if in the main building there 

 could be exhibited some of the leading manufactures of the State rather 

 than making most of the sections mere bazaars of foreign goods. 



The school exhibit at the last fair was an interesting and valuable 

 feature, and I recommend that measures be taken to make it more exten- 

 sive. If we interest the school children in the fair, we shall soon have 

 a constituency that will continue to support the Society. 



It may be your judgment that the semi-centennial anniversary can be 

 appropriately commemorated in the line of a grand display of educational 

 work in which not only the public schools, but the University, Agricul- 

 tural College, Mining School and other institutions may be invited to 

 take part. 



Expert and honest judges are very important adjuncts of a success- 

 ful exhibit. In the main, this Society has been fortunate in securing 

 them. An effort should be made to have this judging of live stock in 

 the ring of value to the public who may be present, and to this end the 

 judge should be able to give some reasons publicly for his awards, and 

 the name of the owner should be announced before the animals leave 

 the ring. There is a demand from many live stock exhibitors that the 

 judges of the respective departments shall be selected and their names 

 published in the premium list or at some time previous to the fair. 

 There are to my mind some objections to this plan, but if high minded, 

 honorable men are always secured, I am inclined to recommend the plan 

 as being just to honorable exhibitors. 



The question of special attractions at the fair is one that is trouble- 

 some to the business committee, ^'isitors seem in these days to expect 

 and demand something in this line, and suitable attractions need in no 

 way interfere with the legitimate work of the fair. 



Trotting and pacing races are denounced by some as not legitimate 

 work of an agricultural society, and out of place at a fair. Properly 



