MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 443 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT THE 



ANNUAL WINTER MEETING. 



FIRST DAY. 



Detroit, January 9, 1882. 



The regular annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Michigan 

 State Agricultural Society was held in the Russell House, Detroit, this evening, 

 President George W. Phillips in the chair. 



The roll was called and the following named gentlemen answered to their 

 names: President Phillips, Treasurer Dean, Messrs. Sterling, Rising, Han- 

 ford, Ball, Lessiter, Cobb, Fralick, Hyde, Manning, Smith, Wood, Chamber- 

 lain, Parsons, Howard, Butterfield, Gilbert, Beckwith, Baxter, and the secre- 

 tary. 



President Phillips then addressed the Society as follows : 



ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT PHILLIPS. 



Gentlemen of the Executive Committee: 



Retiring, as I now do, from the position of President of tliis Society, and the duties 

 which, in that position, have devolved upon me during the past two years, I gladly 

 commit those responsibilities to other hands. In doing so I desire to say that in view 

 of the importance of those interests we seek to promote, and the hearty co-opera- 

 tion of those associated with me, I have felt those duties to be a pleasure rather 

 than a burden. 



It is not very clear to my mind just what should be the scope of a retiring Presi- 

 dent's address, and so far as my recollection serves me, my predecessors have not all 

 thought alike in regard to this matter. Some of them have taken a large liberty 

 with regard to suggestions and recommendations relating to the future conduct of 

 the Society, while others again have made few if any such suggestions. In the pres- 

 ent instance I feel that the latter course best accords with the fitness of things. In 

 view of the ability of the gentleman who succeeds me, and his familiarity with the 

 operations of the Society, 1 cannot but regard it as unnecessary, if not entirely out 

 of place, for me to suggest plans for his adoption. I regard it as only right and 

 proper to delegate to the President-elect all recommendations affecting the policy 

 of the Society and the efficiency of its operations, as the responsibility for the suc- 

 cess of the policy will devolve upon him. 



The past year has been one of great industrial and commercial activity. There 

 has been plenty of work and good wages for all who wished to be employed. The 

 agriculturist shared to some extent in the general prosperity, although not so fully 

 as for some years previous. The wheat crop has been exceedingly light and unprofit- 

 able, and the drought in most localities seriously injured the other crops. Yet, as is 

 always the case, Michigan has enough to sustain her population, with a large surplus 

 to export to find a market elsewhere. This is one of the many advantages which 

 are the results of the system of mixed husbandry that so generally prevails among 

 the farmers of Michigan. This fact, together with our proximity to three of the 

 largest inland lakes in the world, protecting us from those disastrous droughts from 

 which the States further inland frequently suffer, constitute a natural protection 

 against anything approaching a famine. The system of mixed husbandry is pecul- 

 iarly well adapted to the location, climate and soil of our State, and should be encour- 

 aged. It bears an intimate and important relation also to the varied industries that 

 we desire to establish and build up. 



During the past year there have occurred calamities that are not likely to be for- 

 gotten. Our sorrow and sympathy have mingled with that of the whole nation — 

 nay, we might say, with the entire civilized world — called forth by the assassination 



