APPENDIX. lxvii 



Summary. 



In the financial returns from the various county agricultural 

 societies, some important and interesting statistics are obtainable. 



The thirty societies, of the thirty-one, drew from the state treasury, 

 in 1874, the sum of $17,599.91 as bounties. The Massachusetts So- 

 ciety has not drawn any bounty for a number of years. The thirty-one 

 societies during the year received in the aggregate, from all sources, 

 the large amount of $132,842.60. The largest receipts, $13,054.81, 

 were by the Bristol Society. The smallest, $955.93, by the Hamp- 

 den East Society. The average receipts amounted to $4,285.24. 

 The total amount of premiums and gratuities paid was $44,834.37, 

 or an average of $1,446.27 to each society. The largest amount 

 paid in premiums, $3,934, was by the Bristol Society ; the smallest 

 amount, $610.20, by the Deerfield Valley. The largest amount in 

 premiums paid by any society in proportion to its entire receipts was 

 by the Middlesex South, which paid over 82 per cent. The smallest 

 percentage of premiums, in proportion to its receipts, was made by 

 the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Society, which paid in 

 premiums only about 1 2 per cent. The total disbursements for the 

 year in the thirty-one societies amounted to $126,309.17, or an 

 average of $4,084.17. The thirty-one societies own in real estate 

 and personal property, above all indebtedness, the large amount of 

 $539,664.29. The two richest societies are the Massachusetts, 

 worth $68,000, and' the Bristol, $55,342.85. The society having 

 the smallest permanent fund is the Nantucket, $2,617. 



The total amount offered in premiums by all the societies for 

 farm improvements, in which are included management of farms, 

 experiments in draining, subsoiling, ploughing, reclaiming swamp- 

 lands, experiments with manures, hedges and ornamental trees, 

 reclaiming old pastures, orchards of all kinds, etc., was only 

 $4,108.75, while the entire amount paid out in premiums for farm 

 improvements was only $1,465.40. 



The total amount offered for live-stock, in which are included 

 bulls, milch cows, heifers, calves, working oxen, steers, fat cattle, 

 horses (excluding trotting horses), sheep, swine, poultry, etc., was 

 $27,078.83, out of which was actually paid $22,283.91. 



The total amount paid out for farm products, which include fruits, 

 butter, cheese, grains, roots, etc., etc., was $7,864.52, while for 

 agricultural implements, forest trees, additional experiments with 

 manures and miscellaneous objects, there was awarded $11,117.37. 



