Commissioner of Agriculture. 563 



of such county would be entitled to receive under this article, 

 shall be apportioned among and paid to the several town or 

 other agricultural societies in such county according to the 

 amount of premiums paid, provided such town societies sustain 

 a public fair, with premium-list, which premium-list and reports 

 of such town fairs shall be forwarded and made to the com- 

 missioner of agriculture. All revenues, which shall be received 

 by the comptroller, and not distributed as heretofore provided, 

 and all moneys received by him from the tax collected from rac- 

 ing associations pursuant to chapter one hundred and ninety- 

 seven of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-four, or here- 

 after otherwise collected from racing associations, corporations 

 or clubs, shall constitute a fund which shall be annually disbursed 

 on behalf of the state for prizes for improving the breed of cattle, 

 sheep and horses at the various fairs throughout the state as 

 hereinafter prescribed. Thirty per centum of the funds so col- 

 lected shall be disbursed by the commissioner of agriculture 

 among the agricultural societies, clubs or expositions of the state, 

 which have not, previous to the passage of this act, received ap- 

 propriations from the state, as follows: One-third shall be appor- 

 tioned and distributed equally and the remainder in proportion 

 to annual premiums paid during the previous year by such so- 

 ciety. Such sums shall only be paid to societies which shall have 

 held fairs annually during each of the three years next preceding 

 the passage of this act, and which shall have paid at their annual 

 meeting or fairs during such three years not less than one thou- 

 sand dollars in the aggregate as premiums for agricultural, me- 

 chanical and domestic products, exclusive of the premiums paid 

 for trials or tests of speed, skill or endurance of man or beast. 

 Seventy per centum of such funds shall be disbursed by the com- 

 missioner of agriculture among the various county agricultural 

 societies throughout the state, and the American Institute, in the 

 city of New York, as follows: One-half shall be apportioned and 

 distributed equally, and the remainder in proportion to the actual 

 premiums paid during the previous years by such societies and 

 institute, exclusive of premiums paid for trials or tests of speed, 



