186 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
and I have been an exhibitor at fairs; I do not remember the last 
time I exhibited at the state fair, and I think I am through with the 
fairs, practically speaking. I was not so mighty hard up for the 
amount of money I would get as a premium that that was an in- 
ducement for me to exhibit, but I wanted to make a practical exhibit 
for our section of the country, particularly: of Steele county. When I 
got to the fair with. my exhibit they said, ‘““Now your single plates 
must go in such and such a place; your winter varieties must go in 
another place; your crab apples must go in another place,” and so 
on through the list, and my exhibit was all divided up. My friend 
Harris was there with his sweepstakes, and he had a grand exhibit. 
A man asked me where my exhibit was. I told him part of them 
were here, and part of them were over yonder, and a part were 
in another place. I was ashamed of my exhibit, and I never made 
another entry at the state fair. I believe there should be a radical 
change; I do not believe you should offer a sweepstakes premium 
atall. You should not offer a premium for anything that a man did 
not grow. How would the stock raisers like it to have a sweep- 
stakes premium offered and have a fellow go here and there getting 
the best stock and taking the biggest money? They would not 
like it. 
I believe those rigid rules should be done away with. They 
should make a rule to accommodate the exhibitors. If one judge 
thinks it is too much trouble, get some one else; they will find some 
one who will do it without having those rigid rules. 
Now, in regard to the rule compelling exhibitors to have their 
exhibits in place on Saturday night before the fair opens. It would 
do all right for those near by, but it would discourage the general 
exhibitor. I think I have said enough to give you an idea of how 
I feel about this matter. 
Mr. Underwood: As I have had the misfortune or the good 
fortune, as you might term it, of being connected with the fair 
management for three years it is very interesting for me to listen to 
these criticisms of the management, and I hope I shall be able to 
show in some way that the management is not so much at fault as 
set forth by both of the speakers on that subject. I wish to com- 
pliment Mr. Wedge on the very excellent instructions he has given 
to exhibitors regarding the preparation of their exhibits at the fair, 
and I hope that all of the exhibitors, including Friend Dartt, will 
study those instructions and profit thereby. 
Now so far as the criticisms are concerned—I do not know 
whether I can refer to them all, there are so many. In the first 
place, touching Mr. Wedge’s paper, I think his only criticism was 
that exhibitors were asked to place their exhibits and have them 
complete the Saturday night before the fair opens. You will bear 
me out that the state fair is not infringing on Sunday in any way 
if you get the exhibits ready Saturday night, and you will have the 
whole week to get ready. If exhibitors-are so chary of their time 
that they cannot finish Saturday night we cannot help it. Why do 
we have that rule? We advertise to the world that the Minnesota 
state fair will be open on Monday, Sept. 4th. Mr. Dartt and some 
other exhibitors want us to wait until about Tuesday before any 
