The annual meeting was held on the 9th day of January, 1866, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, A. B. James, Oswegatchie. Vice-Presidents, Allen Whipple, Parishville; Richard Harison, Waddington; Loren Pike, Rossie; William J. Barnum, Potsdam; William G. Barnhart, Massena; George C. Bogue, Canton; Jas. H. Morgan, Oswegatchie; Geo. Robinson, Canton. Treasurer, Ebenezer Miner, Canton. Superintendent, Bingham A. Sykes, Canton, Secretary, Thomas L. Harison, Canton. A vote of thanks to Ebenezer Miner, treasurer of the society, for his services in personally superintending the new buildings and other work upon the fair grounds, was passed unanimously, and the sum of $100 was also voted to him. Early in the year the society and the agriculture of the county suffered. a severe loss by the death of Henry G. Foot, Esq., of Ogdensburgh, then and for several years president of the society. Mr. Foot was one of the founders of the society, and was for five years from its beginning its secretary, and for the next three years president. Having been without office in the society for two years, Mr. Focte was again made president in 1862, when the affairs of the society had become much embarrassed, and he held the office by annual election until his death. An able lawyer, a sound practical farmer, a judicious man of business, an elegant and exact writer, an eloquent speaker; his time, his purse, his counsel, his voice and his pen were ever bestowed when needed for the promotion of the agricultural interests of his native county. After the death of Mr. Foote, the duties of the office of president were for the remainder of the year discharged by Mr. Allen Whipple, senior vice-president. Below is a statement of the receipts and expenditures for the year: ........ $2,234 00 828 00 1,335 70 416 30 Expenditures. Paid for new buildings, seats and fences... 1865, except about $75 Balance to account, 1866. $4,814 00 And below is a comparative statement of debts of the society January 1, 1865, and January 1, 1866: St. Lawrence county received from R. K. Jackson, acting secretary, MORLEY, St. Lawrence Co., January 9th, 1866. Hon. B. P. JOHNSON, Secretary N. Y. State Agricultural Society : Dear Sir-In the absence of our secretary, T. L. Harison, Esq., I am requested by our treasurer to forward to you his report for the year 1865, together with vouchers, and also to inform you that our annual meeting for the election of officers came off at the Court House in Canton to-day, resulting in the election of Hon. A. B. James, of Ogdensburgh, as president, and the re-election of T. L. Harison, Esq., secretary, and Ebenezer Miner, treasurer. The meeting was very well attended and passed off pleasantly. Respectfully yours, R. K. JACKSON, Secretary pro tem. SARATOGA. To the Executive Committee of the New York State Agricultural Society: In submitting this our annual report of the twenty-fifth annual exhibition, fair and cattle show, of the Saratoga County Agricultural Society, in obedience to the fourth section of the act entitled "An act to promote Agriculture," passed on the fifth day of May, 1841, the executive of the Saratoga County Agricultural Society have no reports or returns from applicants for premiums, as contemplated by the law of our organization. As we have repeatedly stated in our previous reports, no extraordinary infor mation was derived from our last exhibition, deemed worthy of a place in our proceedings to be reported to the State Society. Not that our exhibitions are deficient in imparting instruction to ourselves, having a tendency to promote the agricultural and household manufacturing interests; but the evident intention of making this call was to furnish the public, through the medium of the State Agricultural Society, more important information upon the various subjects embraced within the broad field of agriculture than our local society has yet disclosed. Th first meeting of our executive committee, within the past year, was held on the 15th day of March, 1865, when a resolution was adopted and arrangements made to purchase some six or seven acres of adjoining land, to add to the society's show grounds, and a select committee named to prepare and report a tariff or premium list to be offered on horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, household productions, flowers, agricultural implements and mechanical productions. The next meeting of the committee was held on the 27th day of May last, when several vacancies were filled in the board, and the time for holding the next annual exhibition was designated in accordance with the standing by-laws of the society, to wit: on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th days of September, on the society's show grounds in the town of Saratoga Springs. A general superintendent was then appointed, with instructions. to report to the board at its next meeting, the number, names and compensation to be paid to the persons to be appointed assistant superintendents, gate keepers, and watchmen for the exhibition. The purchase of the additional lands for the show grounds was ratified, and a building committee was appointed to superintend the repairs and alterations upon the grounds. A resolution was adopted at this meeting, by which the society's diplo mas were only to be awarded as the first or part of the first premium, and for none others. The first premium of $10 was awarded to Lafayette Mott, of the town. of Saratoga, for the best half acre of carrots, grown by him within the past year. His proof showed that the yield was 480 bushels, or 28,400 pounds, grown at the expense of $28, giving him a profit at the price which carrots were then commanding, of $154. The premium list for the approaching exhibition was adopted at this meeting, amounting in the aggregate in the several classes in which competition was invited, as follows: With sweepstake premium for the best horse, best bull, best Spanish Merino sheep and three lambs, the best Long Wool sheep, and the best Middle Wool sheep, amounting to..... $54 50 106 00 76 00 249 00 121 00 90 00 100 00 45 00 45 00 26 00 58 00 28 50 Poultry. Mechanical productions 115 00 Rules and regulations to govern the exhibition were also adopted. The price of single tickets was fixed at 25 cents each; carriage tickets at 25 cents; members of the society had three carriage tickets, one for each day, and the secretary directed to procure the necessary printing for the exhibition. The next meeting of the executive committee was held on the 5th day of August. The assistant superintendents and gate-keepers were selected and their compensation fixed at $2.50 per day. The sheriff of the county was appointed chief of the police department, with special instructions to select his own policemen. Also to prevent persons from making entries in the horse department merely to procure the use of a stall. ANNUAL FAIR. The twenty-fifth annual fair and cattle show of the Saratoga County Agricultural Society, was held on the society's show grounds, in the town of Saratoga Springs, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th, 1865, and was a larger and better exhibition, and more numerously attended than any preceding fair this society has ever held. The enlargement of the show grounds, from 11 to 17 acres, gave much more space to exhibitors and visitors, and while the crowd was thus relieved, the aggregate number in attendance was much larger than usual, although it may have appeared to be less. Tuesday-First Day. Tuesday, the first day, was devoted as usual to the entering, registering and arranging the animals and articles for exhibition, when the gates were closed to all but officers and exhibitors. The entries on the first day indicated the rush which followed, and it soon became apparent that more horse, cattle and sheep pens would be required before the books were finally closed. These, of course, were promptly provided, and with the outside accommodations for horses, gratuitously tendered by the "Saratoga Association for the Improvement of the Breed of Horses," near by, ample room was obtained for every exhibitor who had availed himself of the society's regulations. Wednesday-Second Day. The gates were open at eight o'clock A. M., when visitors and exhibitors began to pour in from all parts of the county. Owing to the unexpected number of exhibitors and increased entries to be made, it was impossible to close the book precisely at 12 o'clock. The following is a comparative statement in the various classes for 1864 and 1865. The sheep last year were all in one class, and the total entries were 59. At one o'clock the judges were called, vacancies filled, and the registry books delivered to such of the committees as were in attendance to enter upon their duties. The appearance of the Saratoga Cornet Band on the show grounds tended to enliven the scene, and added much to this, the farmer's festival. THURSDAY-THIRD DAY. This was the great day of the exhibition. Long before noon the grounds were crowded with the vast multitude of people who had come together to see andto be seen, to look and to learn, to please and to be pleased on this interesting occasion. It is impossible to estimate, with any degree of accuracy, the number present during the day. There were at least 18 acres of people. The judges continued their labors during the forenoon, and in fact some of the reports were not completed until Friday morning. The society was called to order at two P. M. by the president, upon whose invitation the Rev. Mr. Woodruff offered up a fervent and devout prayer for the happiness and prosperity of the people of this country, and the success and well-being of this society and all its members. Gen. B. F. Bruce was then introduced by the president, and delivered one of the ablest, most eloquent and interesting addresses ever listened to by this society. He held the audience in almost breathless silence for nearly an hour or more, and every hearer seemed to be enchanted by his thrilling eloquence and the happy manner of expressing his ideas. At the conclusion of the address, Hon. E. Edwards offered the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That the thanks of this society be and they are hereby tendered to the Hon. B F. Bruce for the able, instructive and eloquent address delivered by him on this occasion, and that a copy be requested for publication. The following gentlemen were, on motion, appointed a committee to nominate officers of the society for the year 1865: Edward Edwards, of Corinth William B. Ellsworth, of Ballston Spa; Silas G. Smith, of Halfmoon; William Waring, of Milton; Isaac Freeman, of Stillwater; Isaiah Fuller, of Galway; Dewitt C. Hoyt, of Greenfield, and Dr. C. Boughton, of Waterford, with instructions to report to the society at two P. M. FRIDAY-FOURTH DAY. The fourth and last day of the exhibition was equally interesting with the others, although the crowd had somewhat diminished from the previ ous day. Those of the judges who had not finished their labors were promptly on the grounds on Friday morning, and the reports were all in by ten o'clock, in time for examination and approval by the executive committee. At two o'clock the society was called to order, when the committee to nominate officers made their report, and the various reports of the viewing committee were read, and upon which premiums were awarded in the aggregate as follows: |