12 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The report of the special committee appointed at the last 

 annual meeting to consider a communication from Dr. Jabez 

 Fisher of Fitchburg, indorsed by vote of the Worcester North 

 Agricultural Society, being in order, Mr. S. S. Stetson, chair- 

 man, presented the following report : — 



Your committee, appointed to consider the letter of Dr. Jabez 

 Fisher of Fitchburg to the State Board of Agriculture, relative to 

 revised methods in the management of agricultural societies, re- 

 spectfully submit the following report : — 



The committee upon organizing were unanimously of the opinion 

 that they should hold their first meeting with Dr. Fisher at Fitch- 

 burg, and therefore, agreeable to appointment, they assembled there 

 on the morning of March 18, where they were cordially received 

 by Dr. Fisher and Mr. George Cruickshanks, also a member of the 

 committee. A few other gentlemen especially interested, including 

 Secretary Wm. R. Sessions, were also present by invitation. 



Dr. Fisher was asked to address the committee, after which he 

 embodied his views of the required changes by submitting the fol- 

 lowing : "Any agricultural society may hold, in lieu of an annual 

 exhibition, not less than six farmers' institutes or field meetings, 

 provided that it shall offer premiums at such institutes or field 

 meetings amounting in the aggregate to the sums otherwise now 

 required to be offered." 



The subject was then discussed at length by all the gentlemen 

 present. 



In the opinion of Attorney-General Pillsbury, published in the 

 "Agriculture of Massachusetts" for 1893, Mr. Pillsbury assumes 

 that the amount of State bounty to which a society is entitled must 

 be predicated by the amount of property, either real or personal, 

 held by said society the previous year, and that an invested capital 

 of Si, 000 shall constitute a suflficient guarantee, that the society 

 is doing or is prepared to do some actual work in the cause of 

 agriculture. 



Also the Public Statutes, chapter 114, section 4, provide that 

 every society receiving bounty shall make such rules and regula- 

 tions for the distribution thereof as shall in its opinion best promote 

 the improvement of agriculture. No refjuirement is made by the 

 statutes relating to agriculture that societies shall necessarily hold 

 fairs or otherwise assume any undue expense in conducting their 

 affairs except the condition " that no society shall receive a larger 

 amount in one year (as bounty) than it has awarded and paid in 

 premiums during the year last preceding." 



