b TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



this subject become, that we find every State in the Union, and 

 ahnost every county in the States, giving attention to the promo- 

 tion of societies, whose object shall be what the American Insti- 

 tute has ever been — to promote by fair and honorable competition 

 the growth and improvement in all that tends to make the life of 

 the farmer, the mechanic and the merchant less a life of labor 

 and more a life of science. In view of all this, and the position 

 which the American Institute has ever held as first in rank, we 

 cannot let this opportunity pass without suggesting the importance 

 of some movement by which the Crystal Palace may be secured 

 to us for future exhibitions — a building well adapted for the exhi- 

 bition of the many new and useful inventions which are annually 

 added to the number already in existence, and properly arranged, 

 would give the American Institute an opportunity long desired of 

 collecting, classifying and displaying not only new inventions, but 

 rare productions of the soil, and whatever may best contribute to the 

 interest of the farmer, the mechanic and the man of science; 

 this institution to be always open for inspection throughout the 

 year, thereby giving to the people, what they now demand, a 

 grand repository where at any and all times they may repair and 

 find whatever may contribute to the advancement of their parti- 

 cular interest. 



The cattle show of tlie Institute was held on Hamilton square, 

 a beautiful plot of ground granted by the cori)oration of the city 

 of New- York, under the direction of the Agricultural Committee. 

 Notwithstanding the greatly increased number of cattle shows in 

 our country at this season, there were gathered together some 400 

 annnals of great worth in their origin and breeding' quality; 

 horses of fine quality, sheep, swine and poultry. Although the 

 exhibition was not quite equal in numbers to those of past years, 

 yet in point of quality it has never been surpassed. The exhi- 

 bition of poultry was very fine — some 60 coops of various choice 

 breeds in great perfection. We may here observe that premiums 

 for poultry was first offered by the American Institute many years 

 ago. 



The act to promote agriculture, passed by the Legislature in 

 1841, has been tlie means of establishing agricultural societies 



