STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 223 



you cannot obtain, for the reason that 3'ou will have finished your can- 

 vass before most of them will be matured and gathered. But as _you 

 are canvassing you can notice the appearance of the crops, and b}' con- 

 versation with farmers generally j'ou can obtain such information as 

 will enable you to make a very correct estimate of the average bushels 

 of the different crops per acre, and having obtained b}' canvass the 

 number of acres sown to each, 3-ou can easily estimate the whole product 

 of 3'our disti-ict or count3^ Hence the blank return sheets, in addition 

 to the number of acres sown, call for the estimated products of eighteen 

 hundred and sixt3'-five. It has been customary with those who have 

 given any attention to this matter heretofore, to gather the products of 

 the year j^receding the one in which the number of acres sown or planted 

 was gathered. We believe this custom has dcstroj-ed to a great extent 

 the value of the tables thus formed, by apparently depreciating the pro- 

 ductiveness of our soil, the aggregate products of such an exhibit being 

 less, compared to the whole number of acres cultivated, than the facts 

 would show. (3ur plan will correct this error, and by continuing it, wo 

 can ai'rive at an almost positive certainty, as next year the Assessor can 

 gather the actual products of this, and thus test the correctness of your 

 estimates. 



The return sheet has also a place for the estimate of unenumerated 

 productions. Your district or county may produce articles not enumer- 

 ated, which you may deem im])ortant to make a record of If so, you 

 will enumerate aiid return them. There are man}- items, however, 

 w^hich we can obtain from the United States Assessors, and shall do so. 

 We would like to have you also ffive a concise statement of the general 

 resources and advantages of your count}', whether agricultural, mineral, 

 or manufacturing. All the facts thus furnished will be embodied in the 

 reports of our transactions to the next Legislature. 



Now, as to the compensation for the services we ask of you : The 

 Board offer a premium of fifty dollars for the best statistical and descrip- 

 tive report, and twenty-five dollars for the second best — the Board to 

 be or to select the Judges, and the money to be paid as soon as the 

 reports are received and examined. In addition to this, each Assessor 

 who shall make a report to the Board, as requested, will be voted a 

 member of the State Agricultural Society, and shall receive free all pub- 

 lications of the society, and copies of such as are received of the General 

 Grovernment for distribution. 



The Board will also endeavor to obtain from the next Legislature, 

 and they have no doubt they will be successful, an appropriation to pay 

 you for the services 3'ou may perform this _year, and an annual appro- 

 priation for the continuance of such services in the future. 



Please acknowledge the receipt of this immediately, and say whether 

 3^ou will perform the duties requested, and whether 3-ou have received a 

 CO])}- of our transactions for eighteen hundred and sixt3'-three, which we 

 mailed for 3'ou. 



If you need more blanks at any time, write for them. You will find 

 postage stamps and envelops for your correspondence and returns 

 inclosed. 



We shall want your returns, and we presume 3'Ou can make them, by 

 the first or fifteenth of September. 



B}" order of the Board. 



Ver}- respectfull}-, 3-our obedient servant, 



I. N. HO AG, 

 Secretar3" State Board of Agriculture. 



