REIHJIIT OF THE liOAllD OF DlRFCTOllS. 



To the Honorable the State Board of Agriculture of the Slate of California : 



Gkntlkmkn: The Board of Managers of the El Dorado County' 

 Agricultural Society, as rc(iuired by law, respectfully submit the 

 annexed report of the transactions of the Society ibr tiie year eight- 

 een hundred and seventy-eight, including a list of articles exhibited 

 and premiums awarded, the amount of receijits and expenditures, 

 and the objects lor which such exj)enditures have been made. 



The eighth annual exhibition of our Society was held at Tlacer- 

 ville, commencing on the tenth of September and closing on the 

 evening of the thirteenth. 



The Society was organized in the year eighteen hundred and fifty- 

 eight. Several successful fairs were held alternately between Dia- 

 mond Springs. Coloma, and IMacerville. Since eighteen hundred 

 and sixty-two no fair has been held until the present year. Several 

 ineffectual attempts had been made to reorganize the Society, when 

 a few public-spirited gentlemen took hold of the matter, called a 

 meeting, reorganized the Society, and located the same permanently 

 at Placerville, in Sei)tember, eighteen hundred aiid seventy-seven, 

 with a full board of officers. 



The Society has exi)ended in grounds, buildings, and improve- 

 ments, including a race-course and grand stand, the sum of ten 

 thousand one hundred and eighty dollars and eighty-five cents, as 

 will be seen by the Secretary's report. 



It is a pleasure to state that every elFort on the part of the Board 

 of Managers has been seconded by a generous people, and demon- 

 strates the interest felt by our citizens in the establishing our Society 

 ui)on a peiMuanent basis. 



The eighth annual fair was largely attended by citizens from all 

 parts of our county, and many from adjoining counties. The attend- 

 ance at the race track and stock grounds was far beyond the expecta- 

 tions of the olticers. 



The Sierra Hall, or Skating Rink building, was used for the Pavil- 

 ion, and as an evidence of the interest manifested by the people, was 

 literally crowded during each evening. 



The number of entries at the Tavilion exceeded all calculation. 

 The display of fruit, vegetables, and cereals was magnificent, while 

 nuuiy of the artick'S, in all deiiarlments exhibited, was afterward 

 awarded premiums at the State Fair. 



The annual address was delivered on Wednesday evening, the 

 eleventh, by Honorable F. M. Pixley, of San Francisco, in which he 

 says of our exhibition and county: 



"My memory oi El Dorado iintedates that of most of you. 1 

 know its mountains and its valleys, its canons and its gulches, and 

 its gravel beds, where ti'easures hid themselves. 1 know its forests 

 and its valleys, lor 1 have delved and toiled for gold in its river 

 bottoms and on its mountain sides. 1 know its soil and climate. 

 From this county came the revelation of the new dispen.'^ation for 

 which men prayed. 'J'he promised Messiah was never in his coming 

 Avelc()me(j with so glad an acclamation as the annt)uneement that in 

 the tail-race of Sutter's saw-mill gold in quantities had been found. 



