1858.] SENATE— No. 4. 15 



looted, That the committee which has heeu appointed to 

 arrange for the State Cattle Sliow and Agricultural Fair, have 

 authority to elect a President, Treasurer and Secretary of the 

 occasion, and to fill any vacancies that may occur on the com- 

 mittee. 



At a meeting of the Committee of Arrangements held imme- 

 diately after, the Hon. M. P. Wilder was elected President of 

 the exhibition, William G. Lewis, Esq., Treasurer, and Charles 

 L. Flint, Secretary. 



The Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion 

 of Agriculture, with their characteristic liberality, very gener- 

 ously volunteered to contribute two thousand dollars towards 

 defraying the expenses of the Fair. In addition to this, a 

 guarantee fund of fifteen thousand dollars was immediately 

 raised, with the understanding that the Fair should he held in 

 Boston. 



The special reason for the selection of this location, was that 

 the beautiful grounds already fenced and belonging to the city, 

 could be rented at a reasonable sum, and that this would be the 

 last opportunity of locating here, as it was contemplated, at 

 no distant period, to remove the fence and use the ground for 

 other purposes. The fact of this being the first Fair under the 

 auspices of the Board and consequently to be regarded somewhat 

 in the light of an experiment, the pecuniary result of which 

 would be at least doubtful, had its influence also, since it was 

 thought desirable to locate as near the centre of population as 

 possible, in order to insure success. These considerations com- 

 mended themselves to the good judgment of men in all parts of 

 the State. 



The time of holding the Fair was unanimously fixed at the 

 20th, 21st, 22d and 23d of October, in order not to interfere with 

 the county exhibitions, the times of all of which had already 

 been fixed upon, and some of which fell on each of the six pre- 

 ceding weeks. 



These preliminaries arranged, no pains were spared to make 

 the preparations for the Fair as complete as possible. The 

 schedule of premiums was extensively distributed, and ample 

 and liberal encouragement offered for all classes of farm stock, 

 farm products, farm implements, domestic manufactures, and 

 the mechanic arts. 



