8 [Ai 



it sacrificed the large income which it annually receives from its 

 fairs, and upon which it mainly relies for conducting its operations. 

 A custom has obtained, that wherever the State Society holds its 

 fair, the local societies of the place unite with it; and thus not 

 only the Institute, but also the Horticultural Society of this city^ 

 co-operated with the State Society at its last fair. It may be 

 mentioned here, that the president of the Crystal Palace Associa- 

 tion having expressed a desire that the Institute should hold its fair 

 at the Crystal Palace, a committee of conference was appointed, 

 but nothing was effected. 



It has been stated that the Institute, in consequence of its con- 

 nexion with the State Society, was cutoff from its principal source 

 of income. It has also sustained an additional loss in the non- 

 occupancy of its store. These facts will account for the falling 

 off in our receipts for the past year. It is a matter of sincere 

 congratulation, however, that notwithstanding this, the Institute 

 finds itself free from embarrassment. 



But, though the operations of the Institute have been somewhat 

 circumscribed, its usefulness has not been impaired. As far a& 

 possible, it has been attenipted to carry out faithfully all the great 

 objects for which the Institute was founded. The Farmer's Club 

 has been instrumental in diffusing a large amount of useful 

 information on the various topics relating to agriculture and horti- 

 culture; and its meetings possess so much interest for the farmer 

 and others, that it is now no unusup.l thing to see sixty and seventy 

 persons present, many of them comiug from a considerable dis- 

 tance in the country, not occasionally, but with considerable regu- 

 larity. At these meetings, all the recent improvements and 

 novelties (whether relating to culture, or the instruments by 

 which it is effected) are made subjects of discussion, and their 

 merits duly canvassed. The proceediugs of the Farmer's Club 

 accompanying this report, will show the great variety of topics 

 embraced in its discussions, and the enlarged sphere of usefulness 

 to which they have been extended. 



Increased attention has also been given to the mechanic arts 

 and sciences. For the purpose of more directly stimulating these 

 important subjects, a "Mechanic's Club" has been instituted, 



