10 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



REPORT. 



Office of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 Sacramento, February 1, 1886. 



His Excellency George Stoneman, Governor of California: 



Sir: The recurrence of this date brings to mind the fact that a pre- 

 sentation of the result of our labors for the past year must be made to you. 

 The present volume is the twenty-eighth report made by this society, and 

 contains the transactions of the various District Agricultural Associations 

 controlled by the State; accompanying these are many able addresses 

 delivered before the respective Associations, as well as the official actions 

 of the Directors, and the list of articles exhibited, and premiums paid. 



The report of the State Board gives the usual official matter, financial 

 statement, and interesting papers pertaining to the welfare of our State. 



ANNUAL EXHIBITIONS. 



Interest in the yearly exhibitions held under the auspices of this Board 

 is continually increasing, as will be seen by a comparison of each year's 

 business. It is but a few years since that the exhibits in the live stock 

 department numbered less than three hundred, while those of this year 

 show over one thousand entries made of horses and cattle alone, exclusive 

 of sheep and swine. The opportunities presented to the farmer, breeder, 

 merchant, manufacturer, and artisan, to bring their products to the atten- 

 tion of the world through this medium, are being recognized, and embraced 

 with more avidity each succeeding year. The purchaser likewise. He 

 receives the* benefit of an assortment of breeds of live stock, styles of 

 machinery, goods, and wares, that could not be brought together except 

 under similar circumstances.. He is here enabled to make selections, 

 knowing full well that none but the best are placed in competition. The 

 advantages derived from this commercial as w r ell as social intercourse can 

 not be overlooked, nor their value underestimated. Visitors from foreign 

 lands are our welcome guests at all times, whether upon tours of inspec- 

 tion or purchase. The increased demands for space each year makes it 

 more apparent that, in this respect, we are fast becoming limited. The 

 Board are seriously contemplating the addition of a wing upon the west end 

 of the Exposition building, which would give us an area of 100 feet in width, 

 by 400 feet in length, utilizing the lower part for machinery, and upper 

 for the exhibitions of county products; but the heavy indebtedness of the 

 society at this time prevents further expenditure in improvements.' We, 

 however, hope that within the next two years to be able to accomplish this 

 work; until this is done, our space for machinery and county exhibits 

 must necessarily be overcrowded. 



The interest manifested in the system of county exhibits inaugurated by 

 this Board has assured us of its necessity and usefulness in properly mass- 



