

SECRETARY'S NOTICE. 



The Secretary presents to the public another volume of 

 the Society's Transactions, in the hope that it may prove 

 both interesting and profitable to the farmers of the State. 

 The practice of awarding premiums for Essays on various 

 subjects having been discontinued, a prominent feature of the 

 early volumes issued by the Society has been omitted for 

 want of the requisite material. This deficiency has, in part, 

 been supplied by the contributions of intelligent men who 

 have furnished short articles, in compliance with the request 

 of the Secretary. These communications will be fomid prac- 

 tical and useful. 



A valuable feature in the Foiu-th Volume, consisted of re- 

 ports from about fifty towns, on topics of unusual interest to 

 the farmer. The Secretary, the present season, sent circu- 

 lars to gentlemen in the towns imi-eported, with the request 

 that similar reports be furnished ; but returns were received 

 from so small a number, that no particular use has been made 

 of them in this volume. 



The reports of awarding committees are more meagre than 



in any former volume, though especial eflbrts have been made 



to induce Judges to furnish them. 



^ But notwithstanding these deficiencies, the' volume con- 



^ tains much valuable matter, practical in its character, which 



^ will be of permanent interest to the farmer, and creditable to 



the Society. 



JAMES 0. ADAMS; Secretary. 



Ma2i'ChesteB; Dec.; 1856. 



