INTRODUCTORY. 5 



their crops compare favorably wliy not compete for the premium 

 themselves in 1807 ? Entries must l)e made on or before June 1st. 



Attention should be called to the fact that not a single farm was 

 entered this year. Are there no frood farms in this vicinity ? 



In the last report before the Society attention was called to the 

 careless manner of making entries by letter ; much improvement has 

 been made in this respect, still there is room for more. No one can 

 be ^too explicit in stating age, breed and class of their animals ; the 

 entry for milch kine should be accompanied by a written statement 

 of facts and not handed in on the morning of exhibition or omitted 

 altogether. 



One other difficulty hinders tha success and influence of tjie Society 

 more than most people are aware of, and that is a sad want of punctu- 

 ality on the part of many members of the several committees. For 

 instance, the committee are notified to meet at the Chapel on Kollstone 

 Street at a certain hour. Promptly at that time the roll is called, one, 

 two, perhaps three persons will answer to the call for their committee, 

 it is a marvel if Jour are there and an almost unheard of affair if the 

 list is complete, and it is not strange if no response is made till the 

 second or third call, fifteen or twenty minutes later. If the Society 

 place confidence in a man's judgment and appoint him on a committee, 

 he receiving a special notice of said appointment from the Secretary a 

 week or ten days before the Fair, is it not reasonable, if the gentleman 

 cannot serve, to expect a note declining the appointment so that the 

 vacancy may be filled beforehand ? There have been noble exceptions 

 to this rule but very many more keep their appointments in their 

 pockets and " if it comes right" they will report at the place appointed 

 otherwise, they " don't go near them," tlius leaving their committee to 

 proceed to its duties without its full complement. Difficult points are 

 perhaps to be decided, the time wasted in waiting or perhaps filling 

 vacancies makes the committee in a hurry, a hasty decision is arrived 

 at, the competitors are dissatisfied and the result is deleterious to the 

 usefulness of the Society. 



Our "Transactions" this year appears in reduced size for various 

 reasons; one is that notwithstanding the offer of three premiums of ten, 

 six, and four dollars to induce the Chairmen of the several committees 

 to elaborate their reports, but very few liave dared to compete. 



Again while in 1804 we had two prize essays to print, this year we 

 have none. Will not some one take up tlie pen in 1807 ? 



Efforts have been made, and arc still being put forth to purchase 

 grounds on which to hold our exhibitions. The necessity and wisdom of 

 such a step becomes more and more evident from year to year. ^ As 

 the Society increases, our means and premiums increase, and it is 

 earnestly hoped that ere many years shall pass, we shall not be behind 

 similar societies in facilities for holding our Annual Exhibition. 



ALVIN M. SAWYER, Secretary. 



