No. 4.] RETURNS OF SOCIETIES. 587 



PLYMOUTH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Incorporated as the Agricultural Society in the County of Plymouth 

 1819, Acts of 1819, chapter 2 ; name changed to Plymouth County 

 Agricultural Society in 1870, Acts of 1870, chapter 251. 



The society in its first report to the Board in 1853 stated 

 the amount of its permanent fund (par value) to be $9,550 ; 

 now has $35,200 invested as a capital stock in real estate, 

 crockery, tables, etc. Total assets, $35,382.25 : real estate, 

 $35, 000; crockery, tables, etc., $200; bills due and unpaid, 

 $150; cash on hand, $32.25. Total liabilities consist of 

 mortgages or like liabilities to the amount of $6,945. Re- 

 ceipts in 1898, $4,735.61 : bounty, $600; donations, $24.60; 

 other sources, $4,111.01. Expenditures in 1898, $4,703.36 : 

 premiums and gratuities paid, $2,937,21 ; current running 

 expenses, $633.27 ; other expenses, $1,132.88. The society 

 offered $2,751.50 in premiums, awarded $1,776.81 in pre- 

 miums and gratuities and paid $2,937.21, which went to 30 

 cities and towns. One hundred and twenty-five dollars went 

 to 1 city outside the State. Two hundred and seventy- 

 three persons received premiums and 5 gratuities. Under 

 head of farms $30 was awarded ; under farm and pet stock 

 $492.50 was awarded; under field and garden crops $10 

 was awarded ; under farm and garden products $120.55 was 

 awarded ; under dairy products $15 was awarded ; under 

 domestic manufactures $136.75 was awarded; under objects 

 strictly agricultural, not specified, $45 was awarded ; under 

 trotting $1,100 was paid ; under objects other than agricult- 

 ural, not specified, $62* was awarded. The society reports 

 1,495 members, — 860 males and 635 females. Four farm- 

 ers' institutes were held: at Middleborough, February 11, 

 on "The cultivation and marketing of fruit ; " at Middle- 

 borough, March 11, on " Field crops, with special reference 

 to potatoes;" at West Bridge water, March 18, on "How 

 to make New England agriculture more profitable ; " and at 

 Bridgewater, December 20, on "Practical poultry culture." 



