proceedings. 47 



Afteknoon Session, 1:30 o'clock. 



Board met pursuant to adjournment. The President called 

 Mr. Davidson to the chair, and delivered to the Convention 

 his annual address: 



president's addeess. 



Gentlemen of the Delegate and State Board of Agriculture : 



The swift wings of time brings us to the beginning of another year, and we have 

 assembled again to counsel together upon the present condition and future pros- 

 pects of the agricultural interests of the State, and, from the experience of the past, 

 recommend such measures as may seem necessary to promote the welfare of those 

 engaged in the cultivation of the soil. Our State has been blessed with usual 

 health, and the crops of 1884 abundant, the wheat crop (one of the largest ever 

 produced) being 40,531,200 bushels. 



Corn was of good quality, and amounted to 89,159,799 bushels. The oat crop 

 was 23,576,117 bushels, the largest ever produced itf Indiana by 3,000,000 bushels. 

 The potato crop reached the immense amount of 5,969,461 bushels. 



As the farmer lives near to Nature, and Nature's God, our hearts go out to 

 him in gratitude and thanksgiving for such rich returns to the labor of the hus- 

 bandman. 



The financial condition of the Board is about the same as in my last annual 

 address. The gross receipts of the State Fair were .§24,429.40, and the gross ex- 

 penditures were $20,702.80, so that but a small balance is left over for the current 

 expenses. The bonded debt is $40,000, and the interest annually accruing is 

 12,400. Thus the prospects of the indebtedness being soon wiped out is not en- 

 couraging. Repeated efforts have been made by the Board to get the State to pay 

 off the bonded debt, so they could go forward with the great work before it. Our 

 grounds are now too small for the accommodation of the large annual exhibitions, 

 and to further increase the indebtedness by purchasing more grounds seems to be a 

 step that can not be taken under the present condition of affairs, therefore I hope 

 this Delegate Board will consider well the indebtedness, and if any action can be 

 taken to influence the incoming Legislature to give the Board such relief, as the 

 great and growing interest of agriculture should have, then the spirit of the law 

 creating the State Agricultural Association can be carried out, and the Board can 

 further increase its usefulness in all the various branches of agriculture. These 

 great and growing exhibitions can not be maintained and pay off this indebted- 

 ness on the State Fair grounds unless the fostering care of the State is extended to 

 assist in the work. 



During the last fair it rained three days, and the great political campaign 

 then at full height, tended to lessen the receipts, as the people at that time seemed 

 to let all business and pleasure go, and stood with bated breath awaiting the result 

 of the election. Another discouragement at that time, caused us considerable un- 

 daeioees ; the prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia among cattle in the country pre- 



