The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-08-01
AGRICULTURE LOOMS
LARGER THAN EVER
AT BILLINGS FAIR

So remarkably has the Midland
Empire Fair at Billings developed
into an unrivalled entertainment
event-a dozen shows in one, with
attractions appealing to every
taste - that the average person
hardly realizes that as an agricul-
tural exposition the grown OF e,.s
Fair has more than kept pace with
its expansion into a great educa-
tional and amusement spectacle.
Figures on exhibits compiled by
Manager Fitton last spring, are in
fact little short of amazing. In the
agricultural department., for ex-
ample, in which the largest num-
Der of exhibits in any n year
prior to 1885 was $500, since
that time starting with a total of
2494 in 1885 there has been a
steady annual increase culmin-
atirg last year in a total of 1861
entries. In the poultry department
with $40 exhibits in 1885, the to-
tai last year was 919; All Club
Girls exhibits increased from
1928 in these four years to
2,675; All Club Livestock from
1O3 to 1853; All Club Agricultural
exhibits from IT'S to 500; Future
Farmers of America from 2S6 to
444.
One of the most notable gains
has been in the farm machinery
exhibit which this year will repre-
sent an all-time high as to number
of firms represented and size of
displays, the entire Machinery
Midway having been already sold
out.
Educational and domestic dis
plays kept pace with those in agri-
culture. School exhibits increased
from 1913 in 1885 to 1,478 last
year; entries in the Home Science
Department from 1,057 to 1871;
art exhibits from 191 to $50.
The total number of exhibits in
1885, mostly in the above depart
ments, was $3.50, and last year
the total was 13,452, an increase
Of SO per cent figure which
far exceeds the population growth
Of the Midland Empire.
Quite as notable as the numeri-
cal increase has been the constant
improvement in the general quail
ity Of the exhibits which demon
strates the agricultural resources
of the great Midland Empire and
the constantly higher standards in
farming, livestock raising and
rural life, and very especially the
promise for the future held out
by the success and the interest
shown by the younger generation
in better farming and better
homes.
The agricultural department
will again occupy the main floor
of the auditorium and all Of the
10 regularly organized Yellow
stone Agricultural Community
clubs will occupy booths. There will
also be county collective exhibits
from Carbon, Cascade, Flathead,
Gallatin, Richland, Rosebud, Raw
ALI and Pondera counties a. well
a. the Al Agricultural Club, Flu
ture Farmers of America, State
corn and seed show and regis
tered ind certified seed.
The poultry exhibit will occupy
the entire building formerly used
for agriculture and the number of
Al and FLA calves to be exhib-
tied will require not only the en-
tire All Club barn but also the
original poultry building. The
livestock barns will be completely
filled with the outstanding herds
from various parts of the U. S.
and Canada. An increase in num-
Der of exhibitors is, in fact, antici-
pated this year in every depart
ment of the fair.
AS an incentive to exhibit at
this great exposition, cash and
special premiums offered in 80 de-
partments total more than $780,
900, exceeding somewhat the to-
tai in any previous year; and as in
the past most of this will go back
into the pockets Of Midland EN-
pire folks, young and old.