No. 85.J ' 415 



management of the finances, at the same time that it enables every 

 member, from his own knowledge, to put down any out-door 

 misrepresentation that mischief may invent and circulate. This 

 is the more desirable, as mischief often gathers malignity, in pro- 

 portion to the increasing usefulness and popularity of the objects of 

 its dislike. 



Lectures and addresses have also frequently been delivered 

 at the Repository, through the year, on subjects connected with 

 the purposes of the Institute. The great room is lighted, warmed, 

 and thrown open to the public, free of expense, to enable those 

 whose means are limited, to obtain knowledge that shall cost them 

 nothing. Specimens are appended. 



Within the last year, great additions have been made to the Libra- 

 ry of the American Institute, and particularly of standard works on 

 agriculture, and all its divers branches of employment ; and among 

 these will be found the most approved periodicals of England, Scot- 

 land, and France, which are regularly received, and on our tables 

 generally within twenty or thirty days from the time they are pub- 

 lished in Europe. The number of volumes of books now equal 

 about six thousand, and a day rarely passes without some addition. 

 The bulk of the books are of a highly useful character, selected for 

 practical purposes with great care, and, by competent judges, be- 

 lieved to be the most valuable in the city. This library, with the 

 reading room, is open to the public every day, and is the continual 

 resort of literary and scientific gentlemen, authors, compilers, &c., 

 as well as practical farmers, manufacturers and mechanics, from all 

 parts of the country. 



The Seventeenth Annual Fair of the American Institute has also 

 been held within the past year. Taken as a whole, this exhibition 

 very considerably exceeded either of the sixteen that had preceded. 

 For eighteen days, Niblo's Garden, situated on Broadway, in the 

 midst of our densest population, was the grand centre of attraction 

 in this great city, and of vast numbers from other and distant sections 

 of the country ; among them men occupying the highest stations, 

 and of the most commanding talent. More than twenty thousand 

 choice specimens from the departments of American agriculture and 

 arts were arranged for their observation and inspection. 



Contributions for the 17th Fair were from about two-thirds of the 

 States of the Union, selected from farms, orchards, vineyards and 

 gardens, in the highest condition of cultivation j grains and roots, 

 and delicious fruits, and flowers of more tints, variant and multiplied, 

 than ever before met the eyes of the visiters. These were placed in 

 the long promenade. Some of the richest contributions of fruit were 

 from Boston and its vicinity , which are described in the horticultural 

 reports. In the great saloon was a vast mass of fabrics, that had 

 received their last finish of genius and skill from the hands of thou- 

 sands of manufacturers and artisans, all stimulated by the hopes of 

 the prize. A powerful steam engine was placed at the extreme of 

 the first floor of the north wing of the saloon, which gave motion to 

 a long range of labor-saving machines, agricultural and others, many 



