TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 44"? 



these schools to country life, the betterment of agricultural homes and 

 their surroundings, the economical marketing of products and purchas- 

 ing of farm supplies, etc. 



Agricultural educational institutions, particularly the agricultural col- 

 leges and experiment stations, are looking for more efficient means for 

 reaching country people with agricultural information, and now that 

 extension departments are being organized in all of these colleges, the 

 need for efficient local institutions in each county to act as centers from 

 which to operate is very apparent. The county fair associations are al- 

 ready .organized as public agencies for the dissemination of agricultural 

 information, and it is only necessary to strengthen their organization 

 and work in order to give them a larger and more important place in our 

 rapidly developing system of agricultural education. 



The county fair has already been found to be a most valuable assistant 

 to the agricultural college and experiment station whereever its services 

 have been utilized, and the college in turn has greatly strengthened the 

 fair association through its support in furnishing educational exhibits 

 and skilled demonstrators and judges at the annual shows, and by setting 

 a high standard along all lines for rural betterment. 



In response to inquiries sent out to the agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations of the United States it is found that out of 47 States and 

 Territories reporting, 13 colleges and 5 stations sent separate exhibits 

 to State or county fairs in 1908, and that IS other colleges and stations 

 united their material into joint exhibits and sent them to State or 

 county fairs. Many of these collections were very elaborate, including 

 beef and dairy cattle, swine, sheep, poultry, fruits, vegetables, forestry 

 products, nursery stock, models of farm buildings, samples of cakes, bread, 

 canned and dried fruits, preserves, pickles, sample of needle work, ex- 

 hibits of stenographic work, type-writing, samples of business letters, 

 examination papers, charts; also specimens of feeds and forage crops, 

 model dairy plans, plans for model farms, specimens of insects and fun- 

 gus growths, tables giving the composition and yields of various crops, 

 samples of soils, praying apparatus; forge, lathe, and hand work in wood 

 and metal, and similar articles exhibiting the character of the educa- 

 tional work of the institution. These exhibits were in charge of ex- 

 pert demonstrators to explain their characteristics and reply to inquiries 

 respecting the work of the college or station. One institution had nine 

 demonstrators at a single fair. In all cases the exhibits were of an edu- 

 cational character, and of use in teaching the subjects of agriculture, do- 

 mestic science, or mechanic arts. 



Farming people particularly were interested in these exhibits and their 

 appreciation and value have been such as to prompt the college authori- 

 ties to continue and enlarge them. The colleges and stations were repre- 

 sented during that year at 101 fairs, being limited in the number only 

 by the amount of money available for bearing the expense. 



Among the advantages claimed by the institutions from their ex- 

 hibitions at these fairs are: 



(1) Opportunity to meet farmers personally and explain the work of 

 the institution. 



