27-1: BOARD OF AGRICULTUriE. 



such purjjose ; and they shall receive and produce as evidence of mem- 

 bership, a certificate of election signed by the president and secretary 

 of such society, and also a certificate from fhe treasurer of the society^ 

 signed and sworn to, before a justice of the peace, that the society 

 which he represents has actvially expended during the previous year 

 not less than one hundred and fifty dollars, as above required : pro- 

 vided, however, that if the annual exhibition of such society shall have 

 been, by the advice of the board of agriculture, merged in that of the 

 state agricultural society, the last named certificate shall not be 

 required ; and in case of any vacancy occurring in the representation 

 of any society, the same may be filled by appointment, by the presi- 

 dent and secretary of such society. 



Sect. 3. At the next annual meeting of the board of agriculture, 

 the members shall be divided as equally as may be, into three classes. 

 The term of office of the first class shall expire at the end of one year, 

 of the second class at the end of two years, the members of each class 

 to be designated by lot. 



Sect. 4. The board of agriculture shall meet at the State House in 

 Augusta, annually, on the third Wednesday of January, and they are 

 hereby empowered each year to elect a suitable person to act as secre- 

 tary of the board, f-nd to prescribe and determine his duties, and in 

 case of vacancy by death or otherwise, the governor with 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 said board. The compensation of the 

 secretary shall be eight hundred dollars per annum, and such necessary 

 traveling and incidental expenses as shall accrue in the discharge of 

 his. duties, an account thereof being first audited and allowed by the 

 governor and council. And the compensation of the members of the 

 board shall be the same as that of members of the legislature, for 

 a term not exceeding ten days, provided that if a member of the board 

 shall also be a member or officer of the legislature, he shall receive 

 compensation in but one capacity. 



Sect. 5. It shall be the duty of said 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- 

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

 education, or the general interests of husbandry ; and the said board 

 shall annually, on or before the first Wednesday of January, by its 

 secretary, submit to the legislature a detailed report of its doings, 

 too-ether with an abstract or digest of the returns of the several agri- 



