94.01 Horticultural society; corporate powers; duties. The Wisconsin state horticultural society is a body corporate by that name, with the general powers and privileges of a corporation so far as applicable. It shall be the duty of the society to aid in the formation and maintenance of county and local horticultural societies, to promote the horticultural interests of the state by holding meetings for discussion thereof, by the collection and dissemination of information in regard to the cultivation of fruits, flowers, and trees adapted to the soil and climate of this state, the harvesting, packing, storing and marketing of fruits and vegetables, and in other proper ways to advance the fruit and tree growing interests thereof; and for such purposes only it may take, hold and convey real and personal property, the former not exceeding five thousand dollars in value.

94.02 Executive committee; secretary's report. The executive committee of said society shall consist of the president, secretary and treasurer thereof, and one member from each congressional district in the state, these to be chosen annually at such time and in such manner as the society may prescribe. The executive committee may fix the time and place for holding the annual meeting of the state society, if the last meeting thereof failed to do so, and may call such meeting by giving at least thirty days' notice to each member; said committee may also fill all vacancies in the offices of the society. The secretary of the society shall on and after July first of each year make a report to the state department of agriculture setting forth in detail the receipts and disbursements of the society for the preceding fiscal year in such form and with such other information and detail as the department may require.

258

94.03 County agricultural societies; organization; officers; powers. Citizens of any county in which no such society exists, or of two such counties jointly, may meet and organize a county agricultural society, adopt a constitution and elect such officers as shall be prescribed in the constitution; and upon filing a certificate of such organization, signed by the president and secretary, with a copy of the constitution, in the office of the register of deeds of such county, such society shall become a corporation with all the powers necessary to promote the objects thereof, and may purchase or take by gift and hold any real or personal property necessary for its purposes, and which shall be used exclusively therefor, sell and convey and mortgage the same. All conveyances and mortgages of such real estate shall be executed by the president and secretary. All amendments to the constitution or articles of such society shall be filed in the office of the register of deeds for such county. All county agricultural societies now in existence are continued with all the powers and privileges enjoyed by societies organized under this section.

94.035 Federal projects. County agricultural societies organized or existing under section 94.03 are declared to be public agencies with power to accept and receive grants or loans from federal agencies and to enter into contracts or agreements with such federal agencies in accordance with federal and state law for the use of such grants or loans, the ownership and title of property and improvements acquired, in whole or in part, by the use of such grants or loans, and the maintenance and operation thereof. Except in pursuance of a contract or agreement theretofore entered into, the powers conferred by this section shall not be exercised after December 31, 1941.

94.04 Certificates of stock. Every such society shall have power to fix a valuation to the aggregate of its property and divide such valuation into equal shares, and issue to its members certificates of stock signed by the president and secretary, specifying the number of shares of its property owned by the respective members to whom issued. Such shares shall be deemed personal property and may be transferred according to such regulations as shall be prescribed by such society; and any person becoming a shareholder shall be a member and have all the rights and be subject to all the liabilities appertaining to his membership; and every person ceasing to be a shareholder of any society which shall have issued certificates of stock in accordance with this section shall cease to be a member thereof.

94.05 Assessments, how made and collected. Every county agricultural society which shall have fixed the aggregate value of its property, divided such valuation into shares and issued certificates to its members under section 94.04 may, whenever its cash funds are insufficient to pay its obligations, make an assessment upon all its members sufficient to pay such obligations in the manner herein provided. Such assessment shall be proportionately levied upon each share of stock as the unit. Such society shall, at its annual meeting, by resolution to be entered of record, determine and assess the sum to be paid by all the members thereof and the time when and the officers to whom the same shall be paid; and the secretary shall immediately notify every member by letter sent to his usual post-office address of the amount of such assessment and the sum due from him, and the time when and the officer to whom payment thereof is to be made, which time shal! be not less than sixty nor more than ninety days. If any member shall neglect or refuse payment of any such assessment for thirty days after the same shall have become due and payable and after he shall have been so notified thereof the stock of such member may be sold by the executive committee of such society at public auction, after at least thirty days' notice of such sale by posting notices thereof, stating the place and the day and hour of such sale, in three conspicuous places in the county where such society is situated. The proceeds of such sale shall be first applied in payment of the assessment and the expense of the sale, the residue, if any, shall be refunded to the owner; but if such proceeds shall not be sufficient to pay such assessment and expense such member shall remain liable to the society for the deficiency. The purchaser at such sale shall be entitled to all the rights of a member to the extent of the shares so bought. Every assessment when collected shall be paid to the treasurer of such society and applied to the payment of the obligations on account of which it was made.

94.06 Members; officers, election of. Such societies shall be open and free alike to all the citizens of the county where organized who may wish to become members thereof and shall comply with their regulations; and other citizens of this state or any other state may become members thereof upon such terms and conditions as shall be provided by their by-laws and pay the prescribed fees. They shall hold an annual election of their officers, and the time and place of holding the same shall be published in some newspaper of the county, or if there be none, then in one in an adjoining county. The term of office of all officers of such society shall be one year and until their successors are elected.

94.07 Filing list of officers. The secretary of each county agricultural society and of each industrial society claiming any money from the state shall, immediately after the annual election of its officers, file in the office of the department a list of the officers of such society, giving the post-office address of the president, secretary and treasurer thereof.

94.08 State aid to county fairs and agricultural societies. State aid to the amount appropriated by subsection (11) of section 20.61 shall be paid to counties and agricultural societies, associations or boards, subject to the following conditions:

(1) To each county, and any such organized agricultural society, association, or board in the state, eighty per cent of the first five thousand dollars actually paid in net premiums and fifty per cent of all net premiums paid in excess of five thousand dollars at its annual fair upon live stock, articles of production, educational exhibits, agricultural implements and tools, domestic manufactures, mechanical implements and productions, for which premium lists have been submitted to the department not later than May 1 of each year; but no one premium so paid shall exceed the sum of thirty-five dollars to a single person, or seventy-five dollars for any township or other group premium. No fair, association, or board shall receive state aid unless its premium list, entry fees, and charges shall have been submitted to the department on or before May 1, and approved by it in writing, both as to premiums offered, amounts to be paid, entry fees to be charged, and all other charges for exhibiting.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) hereof, state aid shall be paid on the premiums awarded at only one fair in each county. If the county conducts a fair such state aid shall be paid to the county. If the county does not conduct a fair such state aid shall be paid to the one society, board or association which conducts a fair and is designated by the county board.

(3) All societies, boards and associations which received state aid in 1950 shall continue to remain eligible therefor so long as they continue to operate a fair each year in conformity with the applicable law and the regulations.

(4) It shall be the duty of the proper officers of each county agricultural society, association or board entitled to state aid under this subsection, to submit to the department a complete accounting system for such society, association or board and no state aid shall be paid to such society, association or board until a satisfactory system of accounts has been approved by said department, and installed according to its instructions. Such officers shall cause to be made and published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the fair is held, within 120 days after any fair held by their organization, a financial statement showing the financial condition of the organization before and after the fair. Such financial statement shall include all such receipts, disbursements, accounts receivable and accounts payable in connection with the operation of the fair as the state department of agriculture may require.

(5) Not later than 30 days after the close of the fair each year the county clerk, or the person appointed therefor by the county board, agricultural society, association or board claiming state aid, shall file with the department, on blanks provided by it, an itemized statement verified on oath, showing net premiums actually paid or to be paid at the preceding fair, which premiums must correspond with the list approved by the department, as required by subsection (1). This report shall also include a statement of receipts and disbursements, attendance, and such other information as the department may require; including also a statement that at such fair all gambling devices whatsoever, the sale of intoxicating liquors excepting fermented malt beverages, and exhibitions of immoral character were prohibited and excluded from the fair grounds and all adjacent grounds under their authority or control.

(6) If it appears from such report, and the department shall be satisfied that such county agricultural fairs have been maintained pursuant to the rules and regulations prescribed by it, and that the premiums are the net amount actually paid or to be paid in cash to bona fide exhibitors, it shall certify to the director of budget and accounts in favor of each such county agricultural society, association or board the amounts due under the provisions of subsection (1) and the director of budget and accounts shall then audit such report. If it appears from any such report that any premiums have been paid to other than bona fide exhibitors, or that premiums have been paid or used in any way contrary to the intent of this subsection, then the department may withhold payment of such state aid until suitable adjustment is made.

(7) The department shall have the power to visit and inspect, when necessary, the records, grounds, buildings, or other property of any society, association, or board receiving state aid under this subsection, and it shall have access to the grounds, buildings, and records at all time.

(8) The department shall annually submit to the governor a detailed statement show