II 



the most of which will be saved in a few years by these 

 associations. 



You have in this the first report under the law of last ses- 

 sion, the best evidence that can be offered of the wisdom of 

 these associations. 



You appropriated one thousand dollars to the use of the 

 Board at the last session; only five hundred dollars of that 

 sum has been expended. There have been two sessions of 

 the Board during the past year. Hereafter there will be but 

 one annually, so that the expenses of the State Board will 

 not exceed the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars per year. 

 We respectfully ask your honorable body to appropriate the 

 sum of two thousand dollars for the use of the Board this 

 year. It is contemplated by the Board to hold a State Fair 

 at some point in the State, the ensuing fall, and to pay out 

 the sum of at least twenty-five hundred dollars in premiums. 

 The S tate would lose nothing if no part of this expenditure 

 was refunded. The great stimulus given to the various 

 branches of industry, the increase of property thereby sub- 

 ject to taxation, will more than four-fold repay the State. 

 Yet your Board has no hesitation in saying, that by the 

 proceeds of the contemplated State Fair, we shall be able to 

 refund into the State Treasury, every cent advanced, with a 

 surplus to commence operations for the ensuing year. 



The Board herewith append their circular issued at the 

 first meeting, together with the entire proceedings of the two 

 sessions. 



We respectfully ask, that not less than three thousand 

 copies of this report be published. We desire to furnish a 

 certain number of these reports to each of the county socie- 

 ties in the State, that they may be used as pi'emiums at the 

 county fairs. 



We shall exchange several hundred copies with our sister 

 States, that we may have their reports in exchange therefor, 

 which we design to give out as premiums at our State fair. 

 In this way we hope to be able to communicate the know- 



