IIG BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Commomvcalth for the past year, to be distributed in prizes by 

 the various Societies, is no less than $8,782. 



The aggregate amount of the permanent fund of the societies is 



•' " " of all the property of the societies is 



" " " of income of fund, .... 



«« «« << received from new members and donations, 



" «« " of receipts by the societies for the year, . 



•« «« " of premiums and gratuities distributed, 



«' " " of disbursements for the year. 



Of the premiums distributed, there were paid on farms and various 

 farm improvements, ........ 



For live stock of all kinds, 



" farm products of all kinds, ...... 



Tlie number of persons who received prizes and gratuities was . 



A more detailed statement of the manner in which these 

 disbursements have been made, will be found in the Appendix 

 to this Report, to which reference is respectfully made. 



This bounty, through the premiums of the county societies, 

 unquestionably does much good. But the meetings of a county 

 society must necessarily be rare, and even if they were more 

 frequent, they could hardly do all that is required. Other 

 means of improvement are necessary. It is a very common 

 remark, and one whose truth is generally admitted, that the 

 education most in keeping with the spirit of the age, is that 

 which makes one most competent to perform the duties of his 

 profession. The young man who proposes to engage in any 

 other occupation which demands the exercise of any degree of 

 scientific knowledge, devotes some of the best years of his life 

 to a laborious preparation. In all the different departments, 

 except that of agriculture, ample facilities are found for the pro- 

 fessional education of the young. In many cases, they have been 

 furnished by the generosity of private individuals. In others, 

 individuals have found it profitable to supply them to those 

 who deserved them, and were willing to pay for them. There 

 seems to be no reason why the young farmer should not have 

 equal facilities for perfecting himself in his occupation. But 

 none of the causes we have mentioned as in operation in other 

 departments, have given him the means. 



The establishment of Farmers' Institutes, it is thought, 

 would, to some extent, at least, supply these wants. The Board 

 of Agriculture have no means in t^ieir power to enable them to 



