REPORTS FROM COUNTY AGRICULTURAL 



SOCIETIES. 



SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES OF MICHIGAN. 



Pursuant to notice, the Seventh Annual Convention of the Association of 

 Agricultural Societies of Michigan was held at the Court House in the city of 

 Ann Arbor,' Michigan, Tuesday evening and Wednesday and Thursday, Jan- 

 nary 20, 21, 22, 1880. 



Convention assembled at the city council room in the Court House, at 7:30 

 P. M., and was called to order by the president, Chas. H. Richmond, who de- 

 livered the following able address : 



president's address. 



Gentlemen of the Convention — In the flight of time, we are brought to the 

 period for the seventh annual convention of the association of agricultural societies 

 of Michigan. 



I have to congratulate you upon the increasing interest in the objects of the asso- 

 ciation manifested by the agriculinral and kindred societies of the State, in sending 

 so large a number of delegates to this convention. 



I have to congratulate you upon the very general success that has attended the 

 efforts of the managers of fairs, institutes, societies and clubs for the promotion of 

 the special objects for which they are created. 



I have to congratulate you, as citizens of the State, upon the returning prosperity 

 that is now so generally seen throughout this commonwealth in all the branches 

 of industry. 



"While we have just cause for congratulation in what w^e see, in what we have ac- 

 complished, and in the glorious promises of the futuie, we have great reasons for 

 thankfulness to the Giver of the harvest, for crowning the year with His manifold 

 blessings; in prospering the work of men's hands in the field, in the workshop, and 

 in schools of learning; especially have we reason for devout thankfnlness that we 

 were not visited by the scourge of pestilence which so generally afflicted a sister 

 State the past year. 



You come, gentlemen, to this annual meeting with the experience of another year 

 in your several pursuits, to add to the general fund of knowledge. 



The history of your successes and failures will be both interesting and valuable, be- 

 cause they are the results of observation, experiment and experience. You come 

 from your several localities to concentrate and bring to bear upon all subjects pre- 

 sented for discussion, the wisdom and reflection necessary to give potency to the 

 conclusions arrived at. 



I am happily relieved from the embarrassing duty of presenting subjects for your 

 consideration by your committee on topics, and by the kiiulness of the gentleman 

 who is to address you on the question of '"How can wc make our county fairs bet- 

 ter?" in the selection of his theme. 



