23 



a service to tlie State ns in aiding them in the nccomplisliment of this object. 

 They also bclicvo that the Assessors of tlie several districts and counties, from 

 the nature. of tlieir duties, jjosscss greater facilities for collecting such statis- 

 tics than any other persons; and that the correct business habits necessarily 

 jjosscssed by a person to whom his fellow citizens have entrusted so import- 

 ant duties as those of Assessor, will give to statistics collected tiy him tho 

 stanij) of character and reliability. For the above reasons the Hoard have in- 

 structed me to request you to aid them in this undertaking. Believing that 

 you will cheerfully consent to do so, I have carefully prepared the accom- 

 panying blanks for the collection of such statistics as are indicated in them, 

 and tiiuse on the opj)Ositc side of this sheet for j'our return of the same in a 

 condensed form, to this oflice. None but the most important and easiest ob- 

 tained are called for. The number of acres sown of the different kinds of 

 crops, the number of trees planted of the diilerent varieties, and so on, you 

 can obtain very easily by fastening the collecting blanks in your assessing 

 book which you carry wtth you, and questioning parties as you assess them. 



The amount of the productions for ISOo you can not obtain for the reason 

 that you will have finished your canvass before most of them will be matured 

 and gathered. But as you are canvassing you can notice the appearance of 

 the crops and by conversation with farmers generally you can obtain such in- 

 formation as will enable you to make a very correct estimate of the average 

 bushels of the different crops per acre, and, having obtained by canvass tho 

 number of acres sown to each, you can easily estimate the whole product of 

 your district or county. Hence the blank return sheets, in addition to the 

 number of acres sown, call for the estimated products of 18<l5. It has been 

 customarj; with those who have given any attention to this matter heretofore, 

 to gather the joro^wr^s of the year /)/-<'c«//;i^ the one in Avhich the number of 

 acres sown or jdanted, was gathered. We believe tliis custom has destroyed 

 to a great extent the value of the tables thus formed, by apparently depreci- 

 ating the productiveness of our soil. The aggregate products of such an ex- 

 hibit, being less compared to the whole number of acres cultivated than the 

 facts would show. Our plan will correct this error, and by continuing it we 

 can arrive at an almost positive certainty, as ne.\t year the assessor can gather 

 the actual products of this, and thus test the correctness of your estimates. 



The return sheet has also a place for the estimate of unenumerated 

 productions. Your District or County may produce articles not enumerated, 

 which you may deem important to make a record of. If so, you will enumer- 

 ate and return them. There arc many items, however, which we can otitain 

 from the United States Assessors and shall do so. We would like to have 

 you also give a concise statement of the general resources and advantages of 

 your County, whether agricultural, mineral or manufacturing. All the facts 

 thus furnished will be embodied in the reports of our transactions to the next 

 Legislature. 



Now, as to the compensation for the services we ask of you : Tiie Board of- 

 fer a )ireminm nf Fifty Dollars fi)r the best statistical and descriptive report, 

 and Twenty-five Dollars for the second best — the Board to be, or to select the 

 Judges, and the money to be paiil as soon as the reports are received and ex- 

 amined. In addition to this, each Assessor who shall make a report to the 

 Board as requested, will be voted a member of the State Agricultural Socie- 

 ty, and shall receive free all publications of the Society, and copies of such as 

 are received of the (icncral (lovernmcnt for distribution. 



The Board will also endeavor to obtain from the next Legislature, and they 

 have no doubt they will be successful, an appropriation to pay you for the 

 services you may perform this year, and an annual appropriation for the con- 

 tinuance of such services in the future. 



Please acknowledge tlie receipt of this immediately, and say whether vou 

 will perform the duties requested, and whether you liave received a copy of 

 our transactions for 18G3, which we mailed for you. 



37()r»59 



