68 STAT?: POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



we maintain that every farmers' institute should be a model of excel- 

 lence, that the programme should be so made up and advertised that 

 the farmers and others in the locality where held will anticipate the 

 pleasure of attending the meetings, knowing from previous announce- 

 ments that they will be of a high order. If this cannot be done with 

 the present appropriation, would it not be better to hold less institutes 

 and make them of a higher order? 



I notice with satisfaction the talk made in and about our Legislature 

 relative to making it the dut}' of the agricultural societies to do more 

 educational work for the farmers. Some of them do too much edu- 

 cational work now but it is not the right kind. From some cause, 

 many immoral features seem to have entrenched themselves within 

 the exhibition grounds and halls. It is difficult to remove them aad 

 put something better in their place. There has been great progress, 

 however, and it is with special satisfaction that I have noted the im- 

 provements in the Maine State Fair. The evils are not all gone 

 yet, but we believe the future will see still less of them. 



farmers' meetings during the fairs. 



For several years there has been more or less talk about farmers' 

 meetings on the fair ground during the exhibition, but as yet I have 

 not known of any body of farmers who cared to hold such meetings 

 in the open air, especially when surrounded by bawling medicine men 

 and hawkers. The idea, however, of such meetings is a good one and 

 if a suitable place was provided for the purpose, say a wing of the 

 exhibition building parted ofT and furnished with comfortable seats 

 and lights, there would be no difficulty in holding such gatherings. 

 The State Society would require it one or more evenings, the Pomo- 

 logical Society could arrange a programme for another evening. 

 There are several other State organizations such as the Bee Keepers' 

 Association, the Stock Breeders' Association, the Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry, the Board of Agriculture and others, — enough in fact in a 

 few years, by holding single meetings each, to have something of pub- 

 lic interest transpiring during the entire fair. The annual business 

 of these various organizations could be more cheapl}^ transacted dur- 

 ing the State Fair than at any other time, papers could be read, dis- 

 cussions introduced, and a vast amount of agricultural information 

 could be imparted to the public. The horse trots and other attrac- 

 tions outside the building might draw the crowds, the Lewiston Jour- 

 nal might have to issue a larger paper and employ' a few extra re- 



