68 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



fords that the majoritj^ of our farmers ever saw was exhibited at our 

 couuty fair only a few years ago, brought in there from some other place. 

 Now there are several herds in the county, and "breeders and feeders are 

 buying them. Let us have all the new farm implements shown that are 

 manufactured anywhere, especially the new corn shredders. If there are 

 any let us have them. 



J. E. McDonald : I would like to ask if their are conntj fairs 

 In Indiana that are not open to all exhibitors ? 



Mr, Insley: I nan. not say as to the condition of things at 

 present ; but years ago there were a few fairs that put down the 

 bars in some classes to the outsiders, but the most of the exhibits 

 were confined to the counties, I believe that has been done away 

 with, yet in our own county last year we opened up a class for 

 some certain breed of cattle for county exliibitors to stimulate them 

 to have better exhibits, 



Mr, Blackstock : My observation has been similar to yours. I 

 think the idea is gaining ground that if a county has any s]>ecialty, 

 if there is any enterprising man or set of men there that have put 

 money and brains into some special feature of agriculture, it is the 

 duty of the managers of the fair of that county to encourage that 

 feature. They may liave the class open to the world, but if so, they 

 ought to give some special inducement to these producers and 

 offer a special premium for what is produced in the county. The 

 only objection I find to this idea of having double classes is that 

 none of the county fair managements have enough money to 

 divide the premiums. The amount of money we usually have is 

 small enough for single premiums ; nevertheless I believe every 

 county fair management ought to take into consideration any 

 specialty that farmers in that county are trying to develop, and en- 

 courage them, I think the Johnson County fair is to be credited 

 somewhat with the result of Johnson County's Avonderful corn pro- 

 duction, I believe this local county idea is a good one, and while 

 it might be carried too far, every county fair ought to give special 

 inducements for developing its own special industries. 



