1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 287 



The organization which shall be best able to conduct such 

 a fair should have the full respect of all our local societies, 

 and be able to depend upon their fair share of co-operation 

 in providing a sufficient quantity of entries to largely fill the 

 several departments at such an exhibition. The premium 

 list should be open to all parts of the country, in order that 

 the best should be sought wherever it may exist, in order 

 that the State might either learn better, or show oft* her 

 supremacy. Assured of such support, the direct and best 

 management to bring about the most successful results should 

 be as independent, but as responsible, as possible. In the 

 large Western fairs, the management is often lodged in the 

 person of a single individual. 



It is understood that this Board meets, under direction of 

 the statutes, to exchange ideas, and to consult, among other 

 duties, as to how we can best act collectively, and through 

 our own societies individually, for the advancement of our 

 Commonwealth's agricultural prosperity, and to sustain her 

 agricultural institutions in advancing knowledge in this same 

 direction. 



It is my endeavor not so much to attempt to tell an 

 intelligent body of men, representative of all parts of the 

 State, what I think they should do, — for I should not 

 presume to that, — but to give this deliberative body a 

 target at which to aim some of their remarks, in the hope 

 that good results may be reached, by our concluding to 

 adopt ways, if such exist, by which we can make advances 

 in our system. Encouraging and aiding the work of our 

 local societies should be the basis for such action as may be 

 decided upon. 



I have already referred to the annual "transactions" of 

 the agricultural societies, and briefly return to that sub- 

 ject. Public Statutes, chapter 114, section 5, contains 

 this : — 



"Every such society [receiving bounty] shall annually, 

 on or before the tenth day of January, make a full return of 

 its doings, . . . [stating several well-known requirements] ; 

 including all reports of committees, and all statements of 

 experiments and cultivation, regarded by the president and 

 secretary as worthy of publication, and with such general 



