2e8 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



KULES. 



Each Siiporinteiulont slioiilil iiiidcrstniMl lli;;t witliiii Ihc limit, of hi.s dcjiartment 

 ho i> iiivcsicd Willi jiidicial niilliorily. 1 1 i'^ I licn-ldic im])()it.iiit that lie should be 

 film i liar with the rule-; prrtaiiiiiii^ to ilio depart iiiciit that he may rl early mid readily 

 pjive the exhibitors sueh pxplaiiatinii as they may re(pilre,aiid t liat when called upon 

 for a decipioii on any matter refeired to liiin lie may be al)le to decide promptly and 

 in accordance with the rules. This will save both time and temper, and greatly aid 

 in pleasantly carrying out the general plan of the Fair. 



rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Tiie Fomological Society has done a great woi"k in promoting tlie interests that 

 naturally come under its care. That work it is still carrying forward most ellicieut- 

 ly. It richly deserves, as it will doubtless receive, the same generous treatment that 

 it has in the past. 



AGKICULTURAl. COLLEGE. 



I 



At our last annual jneeting President Webber recommended that the Executive 

 Board of this Society visit the Agricultural College once or oftener during the year 

 in order to our becoming personally familiar with the workings of the institution. 

 This recommendation was adopted, and a visit was made to the College during the 

 past summer. This we regard as having been a highly profitable, as it was an exceed- 

 ingly i)leasant meeting. As citizens of ISIichigan, wo are justly proud of our State 

 institutions. But little has occiined in connection with any of them to call forth 

 censure, while there is much to be commended. The aims and objects of the Agri- 

 cultural College make it more essentially a co-worker with us. The opposition and 

 indiflerence on the part of the people which the College has had to contend against, 

 is gradually passing away. Much of this feeling was doubtless attributable to the 

 ignorance of many in regard to what the College was doing in tlie interest of agri- 

 culture. Since the plan has been adopted of holding a series of institutes each win- 

 ter, an excellent oppoitunity has thus been attorded for the farmers and the College 

 faculty to make each other's acquaintance. A feeling of mutual respect and sympa- 

 thy has been begotten, and the work of the College is ai>preciated as it has never 

 been before. I believe it is important that this Board should be intimately acquaint- 

 ed with the workings of the College, with its Professors and Board of Control, and 

 do, therefore, strongly recommend the continuance of the plan inaugurated last year. 



FINANCIAL POLICY. 



Hitherto the Society can hardly be said to have had any financial policy other than 

 to receive and disburse. When we consider the large outlay connected with the 

 annual fair and the liability from various causes, but chiefly from unfavorable 

 weather, to have such a shortage in the receipts as to render the Society for the time 

 being unable to meet its obligations, we cannot but regard it as unwise to have such 

 an excessive premium list as to swallow up all the available funds, even of our most 

 successful Fairs. Jn my opinion the premium list for some time to come should not 

 exceed $10,000 each year. Then let the Society make a permanent and secure invest- 

 ment of from $25,000 to $30,000, of which only the accrued interest could be drawn 

 when necessary to meet the obligations of the Society. 



The State Agricultural Society is of the people and for the people, and it has ever 

 been the aim of its officers to run it in the interests of all classes and to make it 

 heliiful to all the various industries of our State. 



This shall be its aim. and whatever of fitness we bring to the work from the expe- 

 rience of the past shall be cheerfully devoted to making the next fair all that it can 

 be made as an exhibition of the best results attained in agriculture, mechanism, and 

 art. 



The roll of the new Coinniittee wtis called by the Secretary and the follow- 

 ing members answered: President Phillips, Treasurer Dean, Secretary John- 

 stone, and Messrs. Sterling, Rising, Hanford, Hall, Cobb, Fraliok, iiyde, 

 Manning, Phillips, Smith, liurrington, Wood, Parsons, Angel, Harrison, and 

 McKay; ex-presidents Shoemaker, Baxter, C. Kipp, and Webber. 



Mr. Baxter moved that the addresses of the retiring President and the Pres- 

 ident elect be referred to a special committee of three, to recommend a subdi- 

 vision of subjects. 



Tiie motion prevailed and the Chair appointed as such committee Messrs. 

 Baxter, Shoemaker, and C. Kipp. 



