SECRETARY'S REPORT. 27 



oldest incorporated society shall elect the first year, and the others in 

 successive years by rotation, according to the dates of their respective 

 incorporations. No member or officer of the Legislature shall be a 

 member of the Board of Agriculture, and in all cases the members shall 

 be elected at the annual meetings or fairs of such societies, or at any 

 regular meetings thereof called for such purpose, and they shall receive 

 a certiiicate of their election, signed by the president and secretary of 

 such society ; and in case of any vacancy occurring in the representa- 

 tion of any society at this board, it may be filled by an appointment 

 by the president and secretary of such society. 



Sect. 2. And the first meeting of said board, shall be held at the 

 state house in Augusta, on the third Wednesday of January next. 



Sect. 3. At the first meeting of the Board of Agriculture, and at 

 each annual meeting on the third Wednesday of January thereafter, 

 the board shall organize by the choice of a president and such other 

 ofiicers as may be deemed necessary. 



Sect. 4. It shall be the duty of this board to investigate all such 

 subjects relating to agriculture, horticulture and the arts connected 

 therewith in this state, as they may think proper; and it is hereby 

 empowered to take, hold in trust, and exercise control over, any dona- 

 tions or bequests that may be made to it for promoting agricultural 

 education, or the general interests of husbandry. 



Sect. 5. The Board of Agriculture shall meet at the state house in 

 Augusta, once a year ; and they are hereby empowered annually to 

 elect a suitable person to act as secretary of the board, and to prescribe 

 and determine his duties; and in case of vacancy by death or other- 

 wise, the governor with the advice of his council, is hereby empowered 

 to fill the same. And all reports and returns required by law to be 

 made by said societies, shall be made and returned to the secretary of 

 this board. The governor and council shall determine his compensa- 

 tion, which shall not exceed eight hundred dollars per annum ; and 

 the compensation of the members of the Board of Agriculture shall be 

 the same as the members of the Legislature, for a term not exceeding 

 ten days. And the said board shall, annually, on or before the second 

 Wednesday of January, by its secretary, submit to the Legislature a 

 detailed report of its doings, together with a digest of the returns of 

 the several agricultural and horticultural societies, and of such statis- 

 tics as he may be able to collect, with such recommendations and 

 suggestions as the interests of agriculture may be deemed to require, 

 and cause not more than three thousand copies thereof to be printed 

 by the printer of the state, five hundred thereof being for the use of 

 the Legislature, and the remainder for distribution, under the direction 

 of the board, among the farmers of the state. 



