also, one or two new features at this fair worthy of special mention. The Illinois Central Railroad Company, through their general superintendent, R. B. Mason, proposed to the society to make a collection, through the employees of the road, to aid our exhibition, and show the natural capacity of the soil and undeveloped resources of the country traversed by their line.

In addition to this, a free pass and general letter of credence were tendered to any agent the society might see fit to appoint to aid in making collections to illustrate the natural history of the state, and in accordance with this suggestion, Robert Kennicott was appointed on our behalf, who, with the aid of those able naturalists, Hay and Lapham, of Wisconsin, so arranged and labeled the railroad collection and his own, as to present quite a study of the geology, botany and zoology of Illinois. And the society having invited some one hundred and fifty eminent agriculturists and men of science from abroad, to whom the railroad company sent free passes over their whole line, and citizens of Chicago gave free entertainment, we were enabled to take the opinions of some of the best practical men in the United States on the general and particular excellence of our exhibition, and the superior natural advantages of the state of Illinois.

Though held in a corner of the state, far removed from most of our large herds of fine stock, the show of cattle was grand and imposing; and in almost every department the exhibition was in advance of previous fairs, as partly verified by the number of entries, which we have set down at two thousand.

....

Amount of receipts at Chicago,.. $12,735 00 Cost of premiums and other expenses, for 1855,.. 11,491 11

FOURTH ANNUAL FAIR.

This fair was held near the city of Alton, September 30th to October 3d, 1856.

The location, on the Mississippi, at a point ordinarily accessible to the citizens of other states, and especially those of a neighboring city, induced the executive committee to open the premium list of the society to all exhibitors alike.

The preparations for this fair were liberal. The citizens of Alton, through a spirited committee of arrangements, selected beautiful grounds, and their architect, J. A. Miller, displayed much taste in the formation of drives and the position and elevation of structures. In every department, except, perhaps, cattle and

horses, the accommodations were ample, and all highly creditable to the people of Alton, and, notwithstanding the many fears on the subject, it is believed, too, that visitors were reasonably well provided for, and that preparation was made for feeding and lodging many more than attended.

This was again a great cattle show, and horses, mules, &c., were abundant. In several other departments the collection was highly creditable, and especially so in agricultural implements; and for the first time there was a well contested plowing match on the grounds.

As a whole, the Alton fair was considered a good one; though, owing to the low stage of water in the rivers, and other causes needless to name, the number of entries for competition and visitors from abroad were not equal to our expectations.

Entries at the fair,.

...

Amount of receipts,.

1,450 .$9,002 95

Cost of premiums and other expenses, for 1856,.... 8,354 73

RAILROADS.

We report the action of railroad companies in connection with our fairs, because their aid is essential to our success. We should find it difficult, if not impracticable, to get up a good show and full attendance without their liberal co-operation.

At the Chicago fair all the roads of the state carried animals and articles, for exhibition only, free of charge, and visitors at greatly reduced rates. It is believed that the Rock Island road charged passengers less than other lines during the four days of the fair; still it is doubtful whether this extra liberality was sufficiently appreciated, when taken in connection with the fact that at least six days are necessary for members of committees and others interested.

At our recent fair our main dependence was on the roads entering Alton. These lines met our expectations in the most liberal and efficient manner, and to the managers of the Chicago and Alton road, more particularly, we were much indebted, last year and this, for free passes to our assistants. To the officers of our society this courtesy has always been extended by nearly every railroad company of the state; and, indeed, we have seldom been denied a favor, though circumstances have compelled us to bear more heavily on some lines than on others, and an occasional disappointment has caused us much embarrassment, when the satisfac

tion of our just expectations would have been no disadvantage to the railroad company, and but little trouble to its managers.

STEAMBOATS.

At the Alton fair the number of our visitors, and the accommodations for feeding and lodging them, were greatly increased by the steamboat interest, and we are especially indebted to the Alton Packet Company in this connection, and for free tickets to our officers and assistants. But as our general arrangements with the boats were all more or less conditional, and to be governed by the stage of water, they were perhaps unable to make, and we certainly had no right to demand the same concessions as those accorded by railroads of the state.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

And

The principle of voluntary agricultural association is better developed here than in any other part of the world, and our societies date as far back as the oldest in Europe. It is only a few years, however, since they became common, and the general recipients of state bounty as necessary institutions of the age. yet they can hardly be called "educational institutions," though great numbers of ignorant farmers and mechanics receive first lessons in progressive agriculture and art through their agency, and some political economists, in older states, have estimated their influence on production, and the valuation of property, at millions of dollars per annum. But their true mission is to draw public attention to great improvements in the arts of production, and excite special interest rather than supply special wants.

To effect this object, state societies have adopted two principal modes of action-the one mostly self-sustaining, the other mainly depending on legislative custom.

STATE FAIRS.

These have grown out of the old cattle shows and sale fairs. of Europe, and, when well conducted, are most admirably adapted to the chief end in view.

By the offer of premiums we excite emulation, and secure larger competition, and the known value of our fairs as an advertising medium, tends greatly to increase the show of fine animals, useful implements and many other things which the premium alone

would not have called out. And then those who wish to purchase can have the opinions of good judges, and often avoid much disappointment.

But these are only incidents of state fairs, which, as the annual jubilees of labor, bring together many thousands of working men, who have no very certain notions of what they are about to see, and are less often benefitted by the things seen than through new ideas gained by a free intercourse and exchange of thoughts and experience with each other, and the new feelings aroused by the homage paid to excellence and the necessary prominence of the agriculturist on these happy occasions. Such moral results are our first object, and the true aim of these initiatory schools of demonstration, and the moment we shall have succeeded in creating an abiding interest in our present operations throughout the whole state, our introductory mission will be ended. But to effect this, we must go to the people, taking our fairs where most needed, instead of where most money can be made or saved by the society.

The itinerant principle is always popular, and perhaps indispensable in a large state like ours. But with an empty treasury, it may be virtually impracticable when both just and desirable on other accounts, and it is only to meet such exigencies that we now ask an appropriation from the state treasury.

COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

The reported increase in the numbers of local organizations during the last two years, is less note-worthy than the rapid perfection of a few, and the excellent shows of many. In this some have made a near approach to the first year of the state society, and are in a better relative condition for future operations.

Of the policy of encouraging and sustaining county societies there can be no question, and especially in regard to the publication of their proceedings reported through the state society.

DISTURBANCES AT FAIRS.

There is a growing evil recently attaching itself to agricultural exhibitions, against which we ask special legislation.

Mountebanks, traveling showmen, unlicensed retailers of intoxicating drinks and irresponsible providers of coarse and dangerous outside amusements infest the neighborhood of fair grounds, and pitch their tents on our thoroughfares, or within a few rods of our

entrance gates, and when outside of city limits there is no power in us to abate the nuisance, or protect the ignorant and credulous victims of this vagabond trickery, or even save them from actual demoralization at a place to which we invite them for very different objects.

A copy of the New York law on this subject is appended. The same, in substance, has been enacted in other states, and is usually deemed sufficient.

STATE AGRICULTURAL PUBLICATIONS.

It is a universal practice, where state agricultural organizations exist, for the legislature to order the printing of reported Transactions. Our last general assembly, sanctioning this good custom, directed the printing of three thousand extra copies of our first report and accompanying papers, the whole making a volume of over six hundred pages of highly useful and interesting matter. This work, we are happy to say, has been much sought for by reading men, and highly commended by eminent idividuals and the agricultural press generally. And being distributed free, over the whole state, it has been of great service to many; and as a book of reference will doubtless continue to be useful and popular, especially with a class of men who sometimes read, but will not pay money for agricultural reading.

Accompanying this report will be found a list of essays and other material already collected for a second volume of State Transactions; and we have other matter promised, should it be needed. But the proposed contributors, being professional writers, prefer supplying special wants, or else await the action of the legislature, before devoting time to the perfect arrangement of materials on hand. Of this latter class we would particularly mention two papers reported-one by that excellent western botanist and scientific writer, J. A. Lapham, of Wisconsin, on the useful and noxious grasses of Illinois-the other from the pen of a young and enthusiastic naturalist, of our own state, on the animals, injurious or beneficial to vegetation. And, to be fully available to our farmers, these essays ought to be illustrated by cheap wood engravings. The same may be said, too, of building plans and ground plots for the embellishment of country homes. The probable additional cost of such illustrations will not exceed five hundred dollars, if in the best style, or half that in the cheapest.