20 P.D. 123. 



The managements of the agricultural fairs have shown an unusual ability in being 

 able to put their houses in order, to lay out a budget based on the fairs' financial 

 standing and then insisting that their department heads keep within the budget 

 estimate. 



The Department of Agriculture cooperated with 20 major, 43 community, 41 

 granges and 9 poultry' and rabbit associations holding fairs and shows, making a 

 total of 113 societies, associations and organizations receiving either an allotment 

 of State prize monej' or special trophies, medals and ribbons. This number is 

 slightly less than last 3^ear owing largely to business conditions in the localities 

 where some of these fairs have previously been held. 



Improvement in Exhibits Continues 



There has been a noticeable improvement during the last few years in the ap- 

 pearance and set-up of the agricultural halls and buildings in wliich the exhibits 

 of fruits, vegetables, flowers, canned goods and home department are housed. 

 More artistry has been displayed in arranging the exliibits and the quality of the 

 products has been constantly improving. Exhibitors have improved in their 

 ability to select, as well as to prepare, farm products for exhibiting. Another 

 noticeable improvement has been in the arrangement of flowers in vases and other 

 containers. Canned goods are much more attractively displayed and handiwork 

 has improved both in quality and type. 



Special Exhibitions 



The exhibits in the Massachusetts Building on the Brockton Fair grounds put 

 on by the Department showed the work of five State Departments, namely. Depart- 

 ment of Public Works, Department of PubUc Safety, Department of Mental 

 Diseases, Department of Conserv'ation (Division of Forestry and Fisheries and 

 Game) and the Department of Agriculture. The exhibit showed in a most attractive 

 and graphic manner many of the acti\'ities of these several departments and proved 

 to be of great interest to the patrons of the fair. 



In the Massachusetts Building on the Eastern States Exposition grounds. West 

 Springfield, the exhibit took an entirelj^ different line and showed the interdepen- 

 dence of agriculture and industry. Many of the leading industries of Massachusetts 

 were represented in exhibit cases about the building and the products of the farms 

 were shown in conjunction with the industrial exliibits. The whole exhibit was 

 educational as well as artistically displayed and received very favorable comment.. 



In connection with the New England Prosperity Exposition and Home Makers 

 Exhibit in Mechanics Building, Boston, the Department installed a vevy elaborate 

 commercial fisheries exhibit in addition to an agricultural and industrial displaj^ 

 covering 200 running feet of space. 



The Union Agricultural Meeting was also managed, exhibits installed and 

 premiums offered by the Department. Several smaller exhibits were set up during 

 the year in connection with poultrj^ shows and other organizations. 



Junior Work Outstanding 

 The interest in fairs on the part of boys and girls is still on the increase and 

 the number of exhibits by j'oung people was 5 per cent greater in 1933 than in the 

 previous year. In this connection it is an interesting fact that boys' and girls' 

 exhibits have made an annual gain for the past eight or ten years and that fairs 

 are gi^^ng more space and attention to the junior departments each j^ear. The 

 educational features of the junior department cover a wide variety of activities and 

 are included in practically every department of the fair. The result of this effort 

 on the part of fairs to encourage young people is already beginning to show by 

 the constantly increasing number of young people who are engaged in 4-H club 

 work, vocational work and other young people's activities. 



Prize Money Allotments 

 Applications for an allotment of agricultural prize money were received from 

 109 organizations and premiums were paid direct to exhibitors at 96 of this number. 

 The amount of the allotments made varied from a minimum of $15 to a maximum 

 of $1,800 and the distribution was made to 18 major fairs, 31 community fairs, 7 

 poultry and rabbit associations and 37 grange fairs. The exhibits in the IVIassachu- 

 setts Buildings at Brockton and Springfield were paid for out of prize monej'' as 

 were also the 4-H Club Camp at Amherst, all special exliibitions, trophies, ribbons 



