xiv BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



which they paid premiums, one going so far as to pay pre- 

 miums for but four breeds. In both cases the premiums 

 paid to the breeds exhibited were increased, and the result 

 was, especially in the case of the society giving premiums 

 for but fout breeds, that the exhibit was greatly improved. 

 In fact, I can say without hesitation that the exhibition of 

 cattle at this fair was the very finest that I have ever seen at 

 a fair in New England. While possibly many of the socie- 

 ties would hesitate to adopt such a course, and in some in- 

 stances might not be justified in so doing, owing to the 

 mixed character of the cattle kept in their territory, there is 

 no question but that in almost every instance the same prin- 

 ciple could be applied to poultry, with profit to the society 

 and to the bona fide breeders and exhibitors of the locality. 

 Under the "any other variety" clause there are a number 

 of men going from fair to fair with strings of birds, many of 

 them of no particular excellence, taking premiums from the 

 society's coffers without any return in the way of an exhibit 

 of an educational character. 



Last year I called the attention of the societies to the 

 question as to whether many of the so-called attractions en- 

 gaged by the fairs really attract, or Avhether they are not a 

 drag upon the financial success of the fair, rather than an aid 

 to it. Where an attraction is engaged, it must draw enough 

 people to the fair, who would not otherwise attend, to pay 

 for itself, or else it is a failure in its capacity as an attrac- 

 tion. There are ten or twelve societies in the State that do 

 without attractions, or at least they expend but small sums 

 for that purpose. Their financial success, taken year in and 

 year out, is generally better than that of the societies that 

 adopt the opposite course. While their accounts for the 

 year may not be as imposing in round figures, their balance 

 is oftener on the side of profit. The real purpose of the 

 fairs of the agricultural societies is to bring about the ad- 

 vancement of agriculture by educational exhibits, and, if 

 that is accomplished without loss to the society, it may well 

 leave the vaudeville out. Very often the fairs expending 

 the most money for attractions have excellent agricultural 



