SECRETARY'S REPORT. 105 



THE INTEENATIONAL EXHIBITION AT HAMBURG. 



In my last annual report, I took occasion, at the suggestion 

 of the Board, to give some account of a trip to Europe, which I 

 had made as a much needed relaxation from severe and long- 

 continued application. Happening to be travelling in Germany 

 in the month of September, I found, among farmers, the con- 

 versation turned upon a grand International Exhibition, which 

 was planned on a magnificent scale, to come oif in the month 

 of July, 1863. 



Little did I think, at the time, that, in the course of events, 

 it would become my duty to cross the restless ocean again, 

 charged with the message of good will and kindly feeling oa 

 the part of the farmers and people of my native State to the 

 great and intelligent body of farmers and agriculturists who 

 were expected to take part in a show of the products, the stock 

 and the implements of husbandry of all nations. But in the 

 preparation for the coming festival, the executive committee, con- 

 sisting of several of the first merchants of Hamburg, and mem- 

 bers of the German agricultural society, sent an invitation to 

 every government in Europe and America to compete for the 

 liberal premiums offered, and to extend the courtesy, at least, 

 of appointing commissioners and delegates to attend the Fair., 



The Board of Agriculture thought that it would be no more 

 than a proper expression of good will and cordial sympathy in 

 such an undertaking, to comply with the request of the Execu- 

 tive Committee, so far at least as to appoint a commissioner to 

 attend the Exhibition, especially as some of the other States 

 had already done the same. The appointment, quite unsought 

 and unexpected, fell upon me, and hence the following 



REPORT: 



No place on the continent could have been more appropri- 

 ately fixed upon for holding an International Agricultural 

 Exhibition, than the free city of Hamburg. It is accessible by 

 water for all countries west and north, while the navigable 

 Elbe, on whose left bank the city stands, furnishes the means 

 of easy transport from Saxony, Prussia and Central Europe. 



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