P.D. 123 15 



DIVISION OF RECLAMATION, SOIL SURVEY AND FAIRS 



Agricultural Promotion Through Fairs and Exhibits 

 A Fair, as such, is fundamentally an educational institution and to this 

 end the Commonwealth, through the Department of Agriculture, gives 

 assistance both educationally and financially. 



During the past year the Department of Agriculture has cooperated 

 with more than 200 individual Fair Associations, Farmers' Clubs, Granges, 

 Poultry Shows and other organizations. It has met with committees ren- 

 dering assistance as to premium lists, fair management, arrangement of 

 exhibits and other details. It has held public and group meetings at 

 which talks, lantern slide lectures and demonstrations have been given. 

 It has sent out circular letters, bulletins, suggested premium lists and 

 issued monthly a Fair News Bulletin keeping the various Fair organiza- 

 tions in the Commonwealth inform.ed on timely topics. It has, further- 

 more, cooperated with local associations and allied organizations in put- 

 ting on educational exhibits, the distribution of medals, ribbons and in 

 general the encouragement of better exhibits by awards and financial 

 assistance. 



Training Agricultural Leaders at Camp Gilbert 

 Thirteen counties of Massachusetts were represented at Camp Gilbert 

 the past year by 125 county and state champions and 40 local leaders in 

 the 4-H Club work. This camp is becoming each year more and more 

 educational and inspirational, and the results of its influence are far- 

 reaching. It is really a Leader Training Camp and as such is extending 

 its helpfulness in the broadest possible way throughout the Common- 

 wealth. 



Agriculture Organizations Unite in One Meeting 

 In cooperation with twenty-eight Agricultural Organizations the De- 

 partment of Agriculture held the Eleventh Annual Union Meeting in 

 Worcester on January 9, 10 and 11, 1929. This meeting was the largest 

 attended of any previously held. The fruit show and trade exhibits com- 

 pletely filled all available space in the State Armory and sectional group 

 meetings were inspirational and enthusiastic and particularly well planned. 



Work of the Department at the Eastern States Exposition 

 The exhibit in the Massachusetts Building on the Eastern States Ex- 

 position grounds, West Springfield, exemplified the work of the Depart- 

 ment as a service proposition to the residents of the Commonwealth. The 

 idea was carried out by means of a home with roadside stand, dairy barn 

 and milk room as the center piece and exhibits around the building show- 

 ing the different points of contact between the Department, the producers, 

 the distributors and the consumers. There were special features in re- 

 gard to the marketing of farm products, the wool pool, pine blister rust 

 control, soil survey, ornithology and fair work with a special exhibit show- 

 ing Grade A milk production as a practical proposition. The market re- 

 porting service and publication distribution was also featured. The whole 

 exhibit covered in a rather comprehensive way the major activities of 

 the Department. 



Inspection of Fairs Supply Information 

 In order to determine just what each fair accomplishes in the way of 

 agricultural encouragement, representatives from the Department visit 

 all fairs receiving State Prize Money and secure definite information as 

 to the real activities in addition to the number of cattle, horses, swine, 

 sheep, poultry and miscellaneous farm products on exhibition. In addi- 

 tion to securing a record of all exhibits and notation as to their quality, 

 the Department representative looks over the Midway carefully, investi- 



