No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 225 



that by a somewhat liberal use of the term could be called 

 gambling devices. Your committee believe that all these 

 should be eliminated, and that it is the clear duty of inspect- 

 ors to report the facts v^dierever such violations of the intent 

 of the State law are found. 



In difierent parts of the State fairs of different kinds are 

 held, one making prominent the cattle, another the fruit and 

 vegetable department, another holding or proposing to hold 

 several shows in the course of the year, thereby complying 

 with the law, if they pay out in the course of the year the 

 six hundred dollars in premiums, provided they meet the 

 other conditions on which the bounty is to be paid: 



Another condition of the law, where money once con- 

 tributed and held for the purposes of the society has been 

 lost, or the property representing it has been depreciated or 

 encumbered, should not be disregarded. It would seem that 

 where the property owned hy the society is less than three 

 thousand dollars the bounty claimed should be proportion- 

 ately less. Your committee believe that the best interest of 

 the societies would be served by such diminution of the 

 bounty, compelling in some cases a hona-Jide contribution of 

 new. capital or reorganization. 



Respectfully submitted, 



W. A. KILBOURN. 

 F. E. CLARK. 

 W. H. GOVE. 

 N. W. SHAW. 



