AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 33 



tation — F. W. Geissenhainer, Jr., chairman. Steam Power — W. 

 B. Leonard, chairman. Carpenters' Work — J. A. Bunting, chair- 

 man. Stands and Refreshments — George Timpson, chairman. 

 Conference with the Board of Agriculture — J. A. Bunting, chair- 

 man. 



By an amendment of the by-laws of the Institute, passed last 

 year, the trustees became ex-officio members of the board, and gave 

 the managers their active aid and counsel. 



Unusual interest was early expressed in the agricultural exhi- 

 bition. It was urged by many that special efforts should be put 

 forth to render this branch of the exhibition full and complete. 



In his report to the board of April 22, 1859, Mr. Leonard, the 

 agent, recommended that prompt measures be taken for securing 

 an exhibition of the character of the State Fairs, which are doing 

 much to raise the standard of American agriculture. 



The direction of the agricultural fair was referred to the stand- 

 ing committee of the Institute on agriculture, and this committee, 

 by an amendment of the by-laws of the Institute, was authorized 

 to add ten members to their number, and the committee were thus 

 enabled to secure the aid and advice of many gentlemen well 

 known for their knowledge of agriculture and their interest in 

 the subject. The gentlemen thus added to the committee, were : 



Simeon Leland, James Knight, John G. Bergen, Lewis G. Morris, 

 Solon Robinson, John Jay, E. A. Lawrence, Thomas Bell, C. M. 

 Saxton, J. A. Bunting. 



The Third Avenue railroad company, with great liberality, 

 offered, through their president, William A. Darling, Esq., and 

 their secretary, Samuel B. Isaacs, Esq., the use of their grounds, 

 near Hamilton Park, on the east side of the Third avenue, between 

 66th and 67th streets, and of the upper halls of their spacious 

 and beautiful depot adjoining, free of charge for the agricultural 

 fair. 



A proposition from the New York Horticultural Society, to 

 hold their annual exhibition for the year in connection with our 

 agricultural fair, was received through a committee from that 

 body, and referred to the committee on agriculture, with full 

 power to co-operate with the society, and we were indebted to it 

 for a very fine and full display of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, 

 in the halls of the depot. 



So important was it deemed that the board of agriculture should 

 be untrammeled in the management of the agricultural fair, that 

 [Am. Inst.] 3 



