To BOARD OF AGKICULTUKE. • 



aged fair for many years and there you will find the best kinds of wheat, 

 corn, breeds of horses, beef cattle, hogs, sheep and, in fact, the best of 

 everything and everything done on the latest and most improved plan. 

 The desire for the best is the natural desire of the American; to see the 

 best is to want it. and to want it is to have it. 



In so far as it is possible to do so, the fair should include in its pre- 

 mium list, classes and premiums for everything of merit, and in most 

 cases, I would favor making the classes open to the world. Don't build 

 a fence around your fair to keep the exhibitors out, but let them come. 

 They are the ones to enter your gates first, and why should we bar the 

 foreigner if his goods or stock are better than we have at home? We want 

 our home people to have a chance to see their exhibits, and if our home 

 production is an advance over, theirs, let them learn of us. By making 

 home classes, you encourage many people to make exhibits that would 

 not otherwise do so. The ordinary stock breeder feels that he can not 

 compete with the expert, but if you induce him to exhibit a few years, he 

 will soon become an expert and will not be afraid to meet the world. If 

 you will examine your entry lists from year to year, you will be surprised 

 to find the great similarity, in fact, almost the same list of names; es- 

 pecially will you find this the case in the exhibits of horses, cattle, sheep 

 and swine, and this suggests the fact that when a man once becomes an 

 exhibitor, he continues his good work from year to year, and this should 

 teach us that we should make use of every means to encourage the be- 

 ginnex'. If the association can not afford to make both classes — one 

 open to the world and one to the county— I would prefer the one open to 

 the world, as it will be of greater benefit to the Association and to the 

 people at large. 



The fair should be an educational rather than a dividend-paying insti- 

 tution, and should be managed in such a way that others may learn how 

 to make money and improve their stock. A large bank account will not 

 help a fair unless it is expended. Now, don't understand me to be in 

 favor of extravagance— get your fair'out of debt and do not expend more 

 than you can make, for a deficit is very discouraging at all times. 



Some people seem to think there is not as much interest taken in 

 fairs at the present time as in the past; but that is a wrong impression. 

 Statistics will show you that there are a greater number of exhibitor's 

 than ever before, and the exhibits are much better. More people attended 

 the fairs in 1902 than for many years. When we have prosperous times, 

 we have good fairs. I believe the fair should keep abreast of the times, 

 as they can not be managed as they were twenty-five years ago and 

 succeed. 



Look around at the business world and see the changes and improve- 

 ments in the management of its affairs. The large, brick business block 

 taking the place of the little, old frame one; the beautiful furnishings 

 for the interior, the grand displays of merchandise — everything is done 



