STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 193 



THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Although the State Agricultural Society has only recognized horticulture 

 as a branch of agriculture, the fact that it has always accorded it a prominent 

 place in its annual exhibitions, and that it has, in so doing, contributed great- 

 ly to the enhancement of this interest in the State, may be considered as a 

 warrant for a notice of its organization and doings in these pages. 



As early as 1833, a movement in favor of a Territorial Agricultural Society 

 eventuated in the passage of an act by the Legislative Council, on the 20th of 

 April of that year, providing for the organization of such a society. 



It does not appear that any proceedings were had under this act; but six 

 years later appears the following account of what was doubtless the first at- 

 tempt to hold a State fair in Michigan ; which was contributed by Henry 

 Raymond, of Bay City, to the Detroit Post and Tribune of August 9th, 

 1879: 



" Your issues of the 4th and 5th lasts., contain allusions to a State Agricultural and 

 Horticultural exhibition, held at the village of Ann Arbor, in 1839; and you seem to have 

 doubts that such an exhibition was held. Let me come to the rescue, from entire ob- 

 livion, of that illustrious institution; particularly as I had the honor to be one of its 

 members, and perhaps, the only one now living; and then nearly the only live one." 



"^As stated in your article, an advertisement was published in one or more Detroit 

 papers, and some other papers in the State, saying that on the 1st of October, 1839, (an 

 official announcement,) there would be a State fair held at Ann Arbor. At that time I 

 owned a farm on Grosse Isle, which farm was, later, known as the Fox place, and was 

 trying to introduce blooded stock, sheep and cattle, from a Holderness bull and some 

 Leicestershire sheep of both sexes, imported by George Hentig, then of Gi'osse Isle. I 

 had succeeded in raising some very fair specimens of half-bloods, and was natiu'ally de- 

 sirous of contending for the premiums offered by this State institution. I therefore 

 gathered up about twenty head of my best animals, both cattle and sheep, and on the 

 appointed day put in an appearance; I cannot say on the fair grounds, for there were 

 no grounds designated as such. No preparation whatever had been made, no officers of 

 the institution could be found, and not half a dozen citizens there had heard that such a 

 fair was to be held." 



" Well, I was bound, after driving my stock thirty miles, to have a show; and found 

 a centrally located vacant lot, put on my stock and commenced holding the State fair, 

 and soon drew quite a respectable crowd. About one P. M., a farmer from Plymouth 

 (a veiy nice man I found him to be) put in an appearance, with specimens of cheese and 

 butter, and that constituted the exhibition of the Agricultural and Horticultui'al fair of 

 the State of Michigan for the year 1839." 



" So Mr. Tibbitts (doubtless the late John Tibbitts, Esq., the earliest settler in Ply- 

 mouth — author) and myself walked off with all the awards of premiums, or rather 

 were entitled to those offered by the institution, consisting of silver sets, silver goblets, 



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