26 RD. I'^.'^. 



2-6; and the Eastern Apple Exposition, New York City, New York, November 

 3-10. 



The apple industry exhibit in the Massachusetts Building, Eastern States 

 Exposition Grounds, Springfield, was a visualization of the story of the apple 

 covering the planting, pruning, fertilizing, cultivating, spray dusting, harvest- 

 ing, grading, packing, shipping, storing and selling. 



In connection with the horticultural and florieultural exhibit at the Brockton 

 Fair, the Department cooperated as usual and helped in every way to make 

 the exhibit a success. In connection with the Eastern Apple Exposition and 

 I'ruit Show in Grand Central Palace, New York City, N. i'., November o-lO, 

 the Department furnished both money and the services of its employees in 

 collecting material, making arrangements for the exhibit and instaamg the 

 same. 



The fairs have been inspected by a representative of the Department and 

 a detail record made of the number and character of exhibits. 



The number of calls for State prize money is constantly increasing and as a 

 result a request for a larger appropriation for this purpose has been made. 

 The need for more money is very apparent and unless more funds are made 

 available, it Avill be impossible to meet all the demands of this nature. 



The illustrated lecture on fairs has been kept up to date by the addition 

 of new slides and data, and its popularity is shown by the number of requests 

 received for this particular talk. 



Fairs have been in the main well attended and the exhibits have shown more 

 thought and care in their selection and planning. The interest in agricultural 

 fairs seems to be on the increase as evidenced by the number of new fairs held 

 each year. This is particularly true of grange and community fairs which 

 serve only one locality. 



Special department ribbons have been offered in some cases instead of 

 money and this type of award seems to have met a certain need and its con- 

 tinuance is warranted. 



Medals. 



A new policy has been adopted in regard to the awarding of State Medals. 

 The Department now annually offers a very limited numbej' of gold medals 

 as a recognition of worthy agricultural achievement. These medals are awarded 

 by a Board consisting of the Commissioner of Agriculture, the Director of the 

 Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and Fairs, the Advisory Board of the 

 Department, the President of M. A. C, the Master of the State Grange, the 

 President of the Massachusetts Federation of Farm Bureaus and the editor of 

 the New England Homestead. 



In addition a limited number of silver and bronze medals are awarded at the 

 discretion of the Director of the Division of Reclamation, Soil Survey and 

 Fairs, and the approval of the Commissioner of Agriculture. 



Camp Gilbert 



The Department cooperated in the conducting of Camp Gilbert at the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College this year and paid the expenses of same as 

 follows : 



Camp $895 60 



Pins, Badges, etc 1,117 65 



$2,013 25 

 Expenses of Special Exhibits 



Union Agricultural Meeting $743 09 



Special exhibit at Greenfield Fair 53 00 



Eastern States Exposition 3,876 98 



Eastern Apple Exposition, N. Y 2,000 00 



$6,673 07 



