No. 112.] 15 



usually been provided for by the Society, attending the annual fair, 

 should be assumed, so as to relieve the citizens of the place where 

 the fair might be located. While the ex. committee were not fully 

 satisfied as to this last request, they felt it their duty still to carry 

 out as fully as in their power, the wish of the Society, as thus 

 expressed. The premium list was carefully reviewed, such addi- 

 tions made, as experience had shown were desirable, and a large 

 increase of premiums added, amounting upon the w^hole list to 

 nearly $3,000. The amount of premiums offered at the fair at 

 Utica, w^as about $7,500, and for the winter exhibition, including 

 county Survey, and essays and experiments, about $1,800, making 

 upwards of $9,000, and in addition, the Society assumed the ex- 

 penses of clerks, superintendents, and certain other incidental 

 expenses connected wath the fair, which had before been provided 

 for by the locality 3 this expense amounted to $2,017.91. 



From various circumstances, the receipts at the fair, though 

 equal to what had been received at Syracuse, in 1848, were con- 

 siderably less than at Albany and Rochester. This was mainly 

 owning to the alarming sickness prevailing in the Western part of 

 the State, which prevented attendance from that direction. The 

 time of the fair also had an influence, as it was at so early a day, 

 as to interfere materially with the farmers, they being very gene- 

 rally, in the grain growing districts, engaged in preparing their 

 lands for seed, or in putting in their crops. 



The time of the fair was selected, in consequence of the days 

 which had been appointed by the Western States and Canada, 

 which occupied each week in September, except the one selected*. 

 While the executive committee and the Society are desirous so 

 to arrange their exhibitions, as not to conflict with others ; they 

 deem it a duty which should not be neglected, that the first con- 

 sideration to be inquired into should be, what time is best for the 

 convenience of our own citizens ; who are the persons most in- 

 terested, and who contribute to our exliibitions, and give them 

 that high character which tliey have liitherto sustained. They 

 would therefore most respectfully suggest for tlie consideration 

 of their successors, that a later day is indispeu:ably nece.-sary, in 



