SECRETARY'S REPORT. 45 



Messrs. Fay, Brooks, and others also paid a high and deserved 

 tribute to the memory of the deceased, when the resolutions 

 were unanimously adopted. 



At the same meeting, it was 



Voted, That a first premium of ten dollars be awarded to 

 Mr. J. B. Hull, of Stockbridge, for the best acre of carrots 

 entered at the State Fair held in Boston. 



Voted, To award a diploma to Mr. Benjamin Hull, of Lee, 

 for his crop of turnips entered at the State Fair. 



Voted, That it is expedient to hold the second State Fair in 

 the city of Springfield, in 1860, provided a satisfactory guarantee 

 fund is secured. 



Voted, That the county agricultural societies be requested to 

 express an opinion as to how frequently State Fairs should be 

 held thereafter. 



Voted, Tliat tliis Board do most heartily approve of the 

 objects of a bill presented in the House of Representatives in 

 congress, December 14, 1857, by the Hon. Justin S. Morrill, of 

 Vermont, requesting congress to donate public lands to each 

 State and Territory which may provide colleges for the benefit 

 of agriculture and the mechanic arts, and that our senators and 

 representatives in congress be requested to render their best 

 aid in securing the passa aid bill into a law ; and that the 



Secretary be requested to rnish each of our senators and 

 representatives with a copy of the above. 



At the meeting held on the 7th of July, delegates were 

 appointed to attend the exhibitions of the county agricultural 

 societies, and their reports, presented at the annual meeting in 

 January, will found on a subsequent page. 



In accordance with my usual custom, to develop some special 

 subject in each of my annual reports, I have devoted much 

 time to the collection of statistical and other information in 

 reference to the Indian corn crop, the most important, all things 

 considered, that is known to American agriculture. Accord- 

 ing to the United States census, the number of bushels of 

 Indian corn raised in the country in 1850 was no less than 

 592,071,000, or nearly six hundred millions. The land occu- 

 pied by this crop was 31,000,000 of acres, and the value was 

 estimated at $296,035,552. This formed about three-sixteenths 

 of the total agricultural product. 



