-^70 [Senate ; 



States in the Union contribute some of their best fabrics and produce i 



tions, and help to carry out the fair. Through the exhibition they are 

 made known to purchasers. Factors and agents are employed, and I 



the amount of our city business is greatly extended, and new articles j 



are introduced, and become permanent objects of trade and mercan- ) 



tile profit. ,! 



It was an early object with the Institute, to establish a library of ' 



utility, embracing political economy, statistics, practical and scientific ' 



farming, commerce, manufactures, and the arts. Every year since it i 



was commenced, large additions have been made of books and pam- j 



phlets, rare and useful. It already possesses acknowledged intrinsic | 



practical value beyond almost any other library ; numbering about | 



six thousand volumes. As the good to be effected by such a collec- ! 



lion of books, depends on the number and character of the readers, j 



the most liberal measures for their accomodation have been adopted | 



It has always been open for reading and reference free of all expense. ■ 



In this respect it is unique, being, as far as we know, the only library • 



in the country that is entirely free to any and all who wish to avail 

 themselves of its privileges. Literary, scientific and practical men, 

 in all the departments of labor and art, are continually consulting it. 

 Room and tables are provided for authors, compilers, editors of peri- 

 odicals, &C.5 who may daily be found in their places, pursuing their 

 objects of reading, writing, and investigation. A large number of j 



standard works and miscellaneous publications have been added the i 



last year ; and almost every steamboat and packet from the other side 

 of the water, has brought more or less of books, and regularly the j 



latest and most approved periodicals devoted to agriculture and the 

 arts published in England, Scotland, France, &g. ; beside new publi- 

 cations are received every day from corresponding members and 

 friends of the Institute, scattered over the United States and foreign 

 countries. 



In the course of several years a variety of specimens of geology, 

 minerals, &c., have been collected and carefully preserved, for the 

 purpose of forming a cabinet for the entertainment and instruction of 

 those who take an interest in this department of science as it is inti- 

 mately connected with, and calculated to throw much light on agri- 

 culture and benefit the arts. 



The hope had been entertained by this Institute^ on v/hose petitioa 



