No. 105.] 31 



ture and othe' gentlemen, met in the Assembly Chamber, when the 

 annual address was delivered by the President of the society, B. P. 

 Johnson. 



ADDRESS. 

 Gentlemen of the Society : 



We are assembled at the close of another year of our society's 

 operations, under circumstances interesting to us all. The past year 

 has been one of prosperity and success, to the agricultural interest. 

 By the blessings of a kind Providence, the soil has returned an abun- 

 dant yield to the farmer. There has been a demand for his products 

 such as to enable him to receive remunerating prices, and for many 

 years this class of our citizens have not been found in circumstances 

 of more comfort, and independence, than at present. We ought to 

 be grateful for these blessings, and endeavor by every means in our 

 power, to improve ourselves, to add to our knowledge the best 

 means of improving our agriculture, to elevate our profession, and 

 sustain it in that position which its importance deserves. 



My predecessor in his able address, delivered at the close of his 

 official term, gave you a full and interesting history of the progress 

 of this society, from its organization, up to that period. It only re- 

 mains for me to call your attention to the proceedings of the society 

 during the past year, and to offer for your consideration, some sug- 

 gestions as to the future, which seem to me adapted to advance the 

 interests of a cause dear to us all. 



When the officers entered upon these duties, at the close of the 

 last annual meeting, they felt that responsibilities rested upon them 

 such as would require the most active and vigorous efforts on their 

 part, to sustain the reputation of the society, and extend its influence. 

 They relied upon the hearty co-operation of the agriculturists of 

 New-York, and in this they were not mistaken. Most nobly did 

 they come up, and most triumphantly have they sustained the society 

 in its operations. During the past year we have advanced in our 

 improvement, and though all has not been accomplished that might 

 have been desired, yet our expectations have been more than rea- 

 lized, and we believe that the society has a stronger hold upon the 

 people, than at any former period of its existence. 



The success of the fair at Poughkeepsie was such as to induce a 

 very general impression that the succeeding one, would fall short of 



