346 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
its fairs; but this appropriation was voluntarily relinquished in 
1862 , and the re-instatement of it has never yet been asked for; 
so that this is the tenth year of our independence of all aid in the 
way of money appropriations—a condition of which, so far as I 
Brave information, no other State Agricultural Society, or Board of 
Agriculture in the Union can boast. 
Our annual receipts have advanced from a few hundred dollars, 
to twenty-seven thousand seven hundred and foitv-seven dollars. 
The treasurer's last report shows this to have been the total re¬ 
ceipts for 1871 , and that after paying all premiums and meeting 
all obligations, including over two thousand six hundred dollars 
due on real estate, there was still left in the treasury a balance of 
five thousand nine hundred and fifty-four dollars. 
It thus appears that in the use of the various means contemplated 
by the constitution and the law, the society has been generally 
successful, and is hence entitled to the public confidence. I trust, 
now that it has struggled through and escaped the perils of in¬ 
fancy, and is “ twenty-one,” it will not content itself with rivaling 
the past, but go forward in a career of increasing and unexampled 
prosperity. 
In retiring from the onerous and responsible position with 
which your confidence has honored me for so many years, I shall 
lose none of the interest I have always felt in the prosperity of the 
society, but continue, as heretofore, to labor for the advancement 
of its interests. 
My relations with every member of the executive board, from 
the beginning to the end of my term of office, have been so 
remarkably cordial and pleasant, that, notwithstanding the ardu¬ 
ous labors and anxieties which have been inseparable from the 
faithful discharge of its duties, I shall think of them with unal¬ 
loyed pleasure and satisfaction, and I can hardly wish anything 
better for the society, and certainly nothing better for its official 
members, than that all future boards may be characterized by the 
same harmony and spirit of cordial co-operation. 
Having detained you so much longer than I had intended with 
these general remarks, I will only repeat my annual appeal for 
the hearty and faithful co-operation of all who have been en¬ 
trusted with duties of any sort pertaining to this present exhibi- 
