SECRETARY'S REPORT. 7 



bad been neither negligent nor untbougbtful of his duty, he con- 

 fessed that he had been unable to prepare anything upon this topic, 

 satisfactory to himself, or which he thought would meet the expec- 

 tations of the Board. He suggested that the committee be dis- 

 charged from the consideration of the subject, and that pending the 

 report of the business committee, it be discussed in committee of the 

 whole, which suggestion was adopted, with the understanding that 

 at this time also, members have leave to report on the condition and 

 operations of the several societies for the past year, and regarding 

 the position and prospects of agriculture in their various parts of 

 the state. 



Mr. Anderson had already got excused as a member of the com- 

 mittee, on the ground that he had nothing new to advance, but would 

 remark, that he had presented the subject to the club of which he 

 was a member, and many suggestions had been broached — such as 

 the importation of best varieties of foreign stock ; the establishment 

 of a model farm ; general instruction in agricultural chemistry ; the 

 employment of public lecturers to itinerate the state ; the establish- 

 ment of a paper under the auspices of the state, &c. Nothing defi- 

 nite came of the discussion, however, except a vote recommending 

 the establishment of a library of agricultural and kindred works, 

 under the control of the state society, to be loaned on call to local 

 clubs and societies. 



Mr. Russ of Franklin, was a member of the committee upon this 

 subject, last year, but was unable to suggest anytiiing of value. 

 He would therefore speak of the condition of the society he repre- 

 sented. The society numbers four hundred members, have located 

 the fair, fenced and graded the grounds, and erected thereon suitable 

 buildings. The show last fall was superior to that of any former 

 year. The society has purchased two full-blood Durham bulls at an 

 expense of six hundred dollars, which did not prove so profitable an 

 investment in all respects as was hoped for, many of the cows served 

 by them proving farrow. Improvement was manifest in various 

 kinds of stock and also in crops. 



Mr. Wasson of Hancock, was a new member at this Board, and 

 represented a society as yet in its infancy. He did not feel compe- 

 tent, at this stage of the session, to enter upon the discussion of the 



