Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-01-19
Report OF The Board OF Directors
OF The Agricultural Society.


there is not much hope of ever making
profit on the annual exhibition until the
plant has been brought up to date. With
this in view. and little money in hand
last year. and the promise of an ap-
preparation of about $4,000 from the
Maryland Association of Fairs, your direc-
tors went to work to make lot of needed
Improvements and they point with pride
to the accomplishments. as seen on the
grounds, though at present the balance is
on the wrong side Of the ledger.
The contribution by the mile tracks of
$4,000 from each to be distributed among
the fairs is an assured fact for another year,
and while the amount has not been dstrib-
uted yet, it is in the hands of the Mary
land Association of Fairs and will be sent
out in a short while. On this subject it
might be well to call your attention to the
amendment to the bill which established the
Maryland Racing Commission, which was
introduced at the last session of the Gen.
eral Assembly and failed for the want of
two votes. All Of our delegates but one
voted for it, and it will be introduced at
the next session, and it is hoped that our
members will do little missionary work
so it will 60 through This amendment
raised the license fee of the race tracks
from $4,000 to $4,000 per day and ap-
propriated $4,000 to be divided among
the Incorporated fairs of the State. one for
each county. to be apportioned by the
Maryland Association of Fairs as seemed
best for the agricultural interest of the
State. to those fairs which comply with
conditions laid down. This amount would
give US in the neighborhood of $1,000
per year. which would soon make the
fair grounds worth visiting between fairs.
The first work undertaken was to clear
out the stumps and grade the holes.
Fifty-eight dollars went for dynamite for
this work. and that has not quite finished it.
The labor was not separated from other
grounds work. so it can not be given.
About a thousand feet of ditch was cut to
dry the infield. and this gives about two
acres of parking space for machines.
A women's new toilet was found to be
absolutely necessary for the comfort of
patrons and compliance with law, and after
visiting some other fair grounds it was
decided to put up small one in the in
field. This was built largely from lumber
from other buildings and cost $265.55 for
labor and new material. 1t is a LARGER
building than that which has been the
only one on the grounds for years.
A large building was planned near the
grandstand with sewer connection and
water. The new building was put up in
permanent manner, with modern plumb
ing, and cost a little over $500 com
plete, but it will accommodate a crowd of
twenty thousand or more.
Larger exhibition space is still needed,
but it was helped by cheaply constructed
building 40x80 feet in size. This cost
about $1,000. 1t was well filled with fruit
and farm displays. and another of the same
size can be filled next year.
During the big snow of last winter one
hog shed collapsed. and examination show
ing that all the rest were in bad shape it
was determined to move the stock exhibit
to the grove back of the grandstand. This
was done and cost. including new roof and
some lumber. 1851. The location is much
more pleasant and the land allows room for
expansion or housing additional exhibits in
tents, as was done the past year. There
is also left level spot where heavy ma
chinery can be shown to advantage, and
this will be worked up for future fairs.
Under the management of the present
superintendent, the poultry show was too
much for the old building, and platform
rooted with canvass was added for the dis
play. Two hundred and fifty coops were
bought. but they were delayed in shipping
and did not reach here till after the fair,
so temporary coops were made. The whole
cost of this was about $500. A perma-
nent increase in the show will necessitate
a building about 4Ox1OO feet, if this dis
play is to be made creditable
In 1920, the premiums paid for all classes
Of display amounted to $2.252. In 1921,
$S,876. an increase of about 81, ESQ, and the
premiums paid for 1922 took another jump
of about $1,000. It will be seen that the
whole amount has more than doubled in
three years.
The difference between race meet and
an agricultural fair is this. When an ex-
hibition pays more for the races than
premiums. it is a race meet but when the
premiums come to more than the purses,
it is an agricultural fair. This is the first
year for about thirty years that this con-
dition has been met and we can really feel
that we had fair and not a race meet.
These premiums were divided approx
mately as follows: Heavy draft horses
and teams. $5l3 quick draft horses and
horse show, $3.50; cattle. S1,057 sheep
$l53; hogs. $3.50 poultry. $l,215; farm.
garden and fruit $l75: women's work.
$3.50; children. $65; girls clubs, 500;
boys clubs. $40; ponies and races. $40.
The poultry fees of SSH and the horse
show fees of $l78 help to pay up those
departments.
No one can complain that he could see
no stock at the fair last year. and the
hope Of increasing the show from home
herds lies largely in the help that can be
given by the members Of the society
Last year the membership roll numbered
47S. this year it is SO. OF the entire num-
Der on the rollla year only 58 continued
their membership. the remaining 40 be-
ing new members, some of whom have
been on the roll before. With the facts be-
fore them the board Of directors determined
to ask you to add a class Of life members
to the annual membership. in order that
there may be fixed body of interested
people in the county with a continuous
reason for ar interest in the success of