The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-30
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
.yermont State Agricultural Society.


Vermont state Agricultural Society.
The twenty-eightlAannu meeting of
the Vermont State Agricultural Society
and Wool Growers Association met at
the Weldon House, st. Adams, We'd
iiesday, Nov. IA, 1877, at ten O'Clock
am. Hon. George A. Merrill, presi-
dent, In the chair; Hon. Henry Clark,
secretary. The meeting was well at
tended. and the discussion of matters
pertaining to the affairs of the society
was general among the members.
Hon. n. Il. Stafford, treasurer, pre-
sented his annual report, of which the
following is brief summary:
Cash on hand, last report, SS12.3S
total receipts of state fair, s414S.S3;
expenses, 1033.S2 ; premiums paid,
S3436 90; cash on hand, SS64.S4; assets
of the Society, Sl555.35; increase, S15l.-
&c; loss OH state fair, 1921 90.
The report of the treasurer was adj
opted. On motion, the president APP
pointed as committee to nominate Off
GERS and board of directors for the ell
suing year, p s. Benjamin of Wolcott,
Fl. G. Root of Bennington, Henry Chase
of Lyndon, A. G.. Harris of Shoreham,
and +. s. Stowell of Cornwall. The
following names were presented and
unanimously elected:
J. resident-Ccorge A. Merrill. Rut-
land.
e-presidents-IIenry Chase, Lyn-
don; G. Horace Hubbard, Springfield;
Henry p. Kent, Dorset; Silas G.. IIol-
yoke, st. Adams.
Treasurer b. Stafford, White Riv-
er Junction.
Henry Clark, Rutland.
Board of Directors--H. Henry Bax-
ter, Rutland: Henry G. Root, Benning-
ton; William II. Sanford, Orwell; Geo.
Campbell, Westminster West; Edwin
8. Stowell. Cornwall James A. Shedd,
Burlington; Lcmuel $. Drew, Buring-
ton; Crosby Miller, Pomfret; Phineas
=. BENJAMIN, Wolcott; Archibald c.
Harris, Shoreham; Henry G.. Cleveland,
Coventry: George Davis, Fast Montpc-
lier.
Hon. Elijah Cleveland. of Coventry,
for nearly twenty-five years an active
member Of the society. was elected an
honorary director.
Col. T.. s. Stowell, of Cornwall, was
elected delegate to the National Wool
growers Association.
The society then adjourned sine die.
A meeting of the board of directors
followed the adjournment of the society.
II. G.. Root, A. G.. Harris, Henry Chase
and the president were appointed as a
committee to locate the next state fair.
Prof. Seely secretary of the State Board
of Agriculture, who was present at the
meeting of the society, was invited to
address the meeting relative to the
work being done by the Board of Agri-
culture. Prof. Seely described the
work of the Board, and the relations
existing, or which should exist, between
the two organizations. lie also de-
scribed few of the difficulties under
which the Board of Agriculture labored
because of the Withholding of the an
nual state appropriation for the current
year.
This last is owing TO the refusal of
the state auditor to audit the accounts
of the Board, he claiming that the act
of 1876 did not contemplate an annual,
but biennial appropriation. This con-
struction of the law works great
hardship to the Board, as it is compelled
BY such construction to do the work of
two years on an appropriation which
was plainly intended by the Legislature
should be an annual one. This of
course limits the work of the Board in
q considerable degree, and in fact i'm
pairs its usefulness as a means of i'll
formation to the farmers of the state.
Something should be done to remedy
il.
G. III. Hubbard moved resolution
requesting the state auditor to so con-
strue the act of 1876, creating the board
of agriculture, as to allow the Board its
annual appropriation
After considerable discussion upon
the resolution and amendments offered,
il was laid on the table. The meeting
then adjourned for dinner.
The afternoon session was occupied
in reading reports of committees, revis-
ion of the premium list, election OF
committees, superintendent of depart
ments, and general business. A con-
siderable reduction was made in the
list of premiums from that of the last
fair.
1t was voted that unsound animals
except brood mares, would not be al
lowed to compete for premiums; also
that animals receiving n premium il
one class, except as herds, will not be
allowed to compete for premiums il
another class.
Following are the nperintcndcnis
General superintendent. James a
Shedd; cattle, Lemuel s. Drew; horses
Henry G. Kent; sheep, swine, poultry
Silas G.. Holyoke; dairy, fruit, vcgeta
bles, Crosby Miller; floral hall, appoint
ed by locating committee; mechanics
hall, Crosby Miller.
G.. Horace Hubbard was appointe,
committee to confer with state audito
in relation to the appropriation for tn,
Board of Agriculture.