48 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



rience in this method of educating the public in agriculture, some of 

 our citizens felt that the times required a more scientific form of in- 

 struction, and in 1876, the State Board of Agriculture was organized 

 by act of the Legislature, composed of one member elected by each 

 county agricultural society which was entitled to $100 from the county 

 treasury, from having contributed a like sum for exhibition purposes. 

 This new organization, or Board as it was called, devoted itself to 

 meeting and hearing papers read upon agricultural subjects, and in 

 discussing these papers, and afterwards publishing the proceedings 

 in an annual report. 



The Board has been of great service to the agriculture of the State, 

 and the reports of its sessions are among the most valuable of any 

 found in an}- of the States of the Union. It still convenes in annual 

 meeting and has added to its original purpose the active oversight, 

 under the direction of the Department of Agriculture, of the work of 

 the Farmers' Institutes in the several counties of the State. Its ser- 

 vices, in this respect, are very valuable, and the Board is entitled to 

 great credit for its intelligent and hearty interest in this important 

 branch of our educational system. 



State Horticultural Association. 



This organization is one of the oldest of the unincorporated socie- 

 ties of the State. It was organized over forty years ago, and has kept 

 up its meetings ever since. The society was organized, chiefly for the 

 self-improvement of its members; but like all useful organizations, 

 its benefits have extended to the entire State. The fruit industry 

 has been greatly aided by this association, and it ought to be assisted 

 and encouraged in its efforts to improve and increase the fruit pro- 

 duction of the districts adapted to this industry. 



The Dairv Union. 



The Dairy Union is another of the unincorporated societies, organ- 

 ized in the interest of the dairy industry of the State. It is of only 

 recent origin, so that the effect of its work has not yet had time to 

 show as in the case of the older societies. Its purposes are to en- 

 courage dairy farming in this State, to improve the industry and pro- 

 tect it against fraudulent imitation products, which threaten its de- 

 struction. 



The State Live Stock Breeders' Association. 



This is also a new organization in this State, unincorporated. 

 Pennsylvania, until quite recently, has never had a society of breeders 



