SAN JOAQUIN AGKICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 151 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 



Officers and Members of the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Society : 



Gentlemen : The closing of our fifteenth year as an organization 

 makes it incumbent upon me to state what have been the actions of 

 the society since you honored me with the presidency, for the second 

 time, one year ago. 



Under the circumstances which have surrounded us, it affords me 

 pleasure to say to you that the society, notwithstanding a bad season, 

 passed unscathed through the same and successfully conducted a fair 

 equal, if not superior, to any one held in the State. 



It is also proper to remind you that this year we have managed to 

 conduct a fair, make improvements, and maintained the honor of the 

 society, without appealing to the public for a dollar. The society has 

 received its all from a legitimate source, and have not asked a gratuity. 

 It has been the desire of the managers to make the society self-sus- 

 taining. The financial transactions and details you will observe in 

 the reports of the Secretary and Treasurer, to which you are respect- 

 fully referred, and will also observe that during the year the society 

 has accumulated property to the value of two thousand two hundred 

 and seventy-two dollars and fifty cents. 



PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS. 



During my present term of office a number of necessary improve- 

 ments have been made at the track or park, which may be enumer- 

 ated as follows : 



Forty-five new stalls for horses. The stalls are water-tight, and will 

 be comfortable. A large number of shade and ornamental trees have 

 been set out and carefully nurtured. A tight board fence has been 

 erected on the north side of the track, and a three-board fence on the 

 south side. A sprinkling cart has been purchased, and, under the 

 management of Mr. Briggs, the track has been kept in admirable 

 condition. 



Since the society last met (in accordance with the motion passed 

 at the last annual meeting), the Board of Managers took the neces- 

 sary steps to become a member of the National Association for the 

 Promotion of the Interests of the American Turf. The great satis- 

 faction given by the races at our September meeting proved the 

 wisdom of this step. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



Before concluding this address permit me to make a few practical 

 suggestions or recommendations : 



