MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 9 



in consequence of the cold and blustering weather that succeeded 

 the storm of the first day, was not so large as we commonly have on 

 such occasions. On this account but comparatively few of the visi- 

 tors repeated their visits, as has heretofore been usual, on successive 



days. 



The consequence of this was a falling off of the receipts far below 

 the anticipations of the Trustees. Here the Trustees feel it to be 

 their duty to give to the Society the conviction, forced upon them 

 by the experiences of this and the last two years, that in consequence 

 of the great expense required in fitting up temporary fixtures to 

 accommodate the Show on the present itinerary or rotative system, 

 however productive these Shows may be of lasting good to the agri- 

 cultural community, they do not enable the Society to become self- 

 sustaining in a financial point of view. We therefore suggest for 

 the consideration of the Society whether, until some permanent 

 arrangements can be made to locate the Society in the vicinity of 

 some of our large cities — obtaining suitable grounds and erecting 

 thereon permanent buildings and other fixtures for the accommoda- 

 tion of the institution and its various operations, thereby avoiding 

 the enormous annual expenditure and loss for erecting such fixtures 

 each successive Show and Fair, the usual annual Shows of the 

 Society be suspended, and the Trustees in the meantime be author- 

 ized to investigate the subject more thoroughly and take such meas- 

 ures to consummate the location in one, two or three permanent, 

 places, and devise such ways and means as shall ensure its success. 



Inasmuch as there has been an association lately organized in this 

 State for the encouragement of the breeding of horses, and espec- 

 ially fleet horses, under the direction of gentlemen fully competent 

 to manage the same, the Trustees would also suggest whether it 

 would not be preferable to dispense with that feature in our Shows, 

 confining our premiums in the horse department to a mere exhibi- 

 tion of their form, symmetry and action as roadsters, and their 

 capacity and endurance as draft horses."' 



