68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



money bestowed in premiums was like the seed sown by the hus- 

 bandman. Some of it was devoured by birds of prey, some of it 

 fell in stony places, some was choked in its growth by the brambles 

 of ignorance or prejudice, but enough fell upon good ground to 

 produce a hundred fold. He further says, that the inducement of 

 distinction and reward called into active employment the genius, 

 skill and industry of thousands; that the aggregate of production 

 in his county increased from 15 to 25 per cent, and that in some 

 instances the profits of farms were doubled, and that these were 

 produced almost wholly by improvements consequent upon the law 

 of 1819, and the labor of the county agricultural societies. In the 

 distribution of the $10,000 annually the largest sum was given to 

 the agricultural society of the city and county of Now York, and 

 this society, the year after its formation, instituted a fair for the 

 exhibition of American products. It was held within the present 

 limits of the city, at a place then known as Mount Vernon (situated 

 on the East River, about on a line with Sixty-first street), on the 

 23d and 24th of October, 1821. It embraced a display of cattle, 

 horses, sheep, agricultural implements, broad-cloths, cassimeres, 

 carpets, blankets, linen thread, ladies' straw hats, porcelain, glue, 

 musical instruments, and other articles. Prizes to the amount of 

 $688 were bestowed, chiefly in silver plate, and diplomas were 

 granted to contributors. The fair produced a great sensation at 

 the time, and was visited by nearly 6000 persons. 



On the 19th of October, 1824, a mechanics' fair was held at the 

 old arsenal, in White street, in this city, under the auspices of a 

 society which had been incorporated by the Legislature of the 

 State in 1822, under the name of the Mechanic and Scientific Insti- 

 tution. It consisted of articles of American manufacture, such as 

 woolen and cotton cloths, silk goods, American iron, paper, brass 

 work, glass and glassware. $540 was expended in premiums, and 

 the design was to continue it annually, but the members of the 

 society quarreled among themselves, which led to the breaking up 

 of the institution. The act creating the board of agriculture and 

 the county egricultural societies, expired by its own limitation, in 

 1825, and the board, in putting forth its last volume, ex- 

 pressed the "ardent hope" that tiie Legislature would appreciate 

 the great benefits which the law had conferred, and would perpetu- 

 ate and multiply them by continuing the same enlightened policy. 

 The Legislature, however, paid no attention to this request, and 

 sixteen years elapsed before they again returned to the system of 

 rewards and premiums, an indifference proceeding from causes 

 which I will briefly explain. 



