600 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. McCourtie was re-elected Treasurer. The informal vote stood : McCourtie 

 34, C. E. Morrison 4, W. G. Pattison 1, J. B. Cobb 1, Wm. Bair 1, E. R. Mil- 

 ler 2. Mr. McCourtie was then declared unanimously elected. 



The committee, Messrs. Little, Curtis and Bair, appointed to nominate an 

 Executive Committee, retired and after a brief session, presented the following 

 names : J. N. Stearns, of Kalamazoo, George Kuappen, of Richland, Jarvis 

 D. Adams, of Climax, Norton Pomeroy, of Kalamazoo. 



Judge Wells spoke in favor of Franklin Wells, of Constantino. Whereupon, 

 on motion, the Society voted to recommend said Franklin Wells to the Governor 

 for re-appointment as a member of the State Board of Agriculture. 



Remarks were made by Messrs. Cameron, J. D. Adams, William II. Cobb, 

 Judge H. G. Wells, Little and others in favor of purchasing grounds for the 

 Society. The necessity was shown to be immediate. Quite a large number 

 signed the petition to the legislature for authority for the county to vote $15,000 

 for that purpose. 



FRANK LITTLE, 

 Secretary Kalamazoo County Agricultural Society. 



Kalamazoo, January 11, 1879. 



KENT COUNTY. 



The twenty-seventh annual fair of the Kent County Agricultural Society 

 was held on the grounds of the society, adjacent to the city of Grand Rapids, 

 on the 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th days of September, A. D. 1878. 



On Wednesday, the second day of the fair, a violent thunder storm occurred 

 which lasted the greater part of the afternoon. The storm was very severe 

 and literally saturated everything that was not fully protected. 



We expected a very large attendance on Wednesday afternoon, as the weather 

 had previously been very pleasant, and the civic and military societies of Grand 

 Rapids had arranged to parade oil the fair grounds in the afternoon of that 

 day. 



In consequence of tlie storm our receipts on AYednesday were very light. 



On Thursday Ave had a very large attendnnce, and as there was no malt or 

 spirituous liquors sold on the grounds, and no gambling of any description 

 allowed, every thing passed ofE to the entire satisfaction of tlie vast assem- 

 blage. 



Tlie total number of entries for premiums offered by the Agricultural 

 Society was 1,335. The number of entries for special premiums, ollcred by 

 the merchants and business men of tlie city of Grand Rapids, was 76 (this 

 number does not include entries for sack and foot races, etc.) 



The number of entries in the horticultural department, which was under 

 the supervision of the Grand River Valley Horticultural Society, was 989, 

 making a total of 2,400 entries. 



As will be seen above, there is in this county an organized society known as 

 the Grand River Horticultural Society, which has done a vast amount for the 

 development of horticulture in this and adjacent counties. 



The display of fruits and llowers in Pomological Ilall was very line, and 

 attracted a great deal of attention during the fair. 



The agricultural and horticultural societies have held joint or union fairs 



