L. A. Kent, Treasurer, submitted the following annual report: TREASURER'S REPORT. LINCOLN, NEB., January 17th, 1888. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the State Board of Agriculture: I herewith submit my annual report of the financial condition of the Board at close of year, January 17th, 1888. Jan. 18th, 1887, Balance on hand........ May 25th, 1887, Horticultural Society... RECEIPTS. Sept. 17th, 1887, Quarter-stretch tickets sold... Sept. 17th, 1887, Booth privileges sold. Sept. 17th, 1887, State apportionment. Sept. 17th, 1887, Speed moneys............. Sept. 17th, 1887, B. &. M. coupon tickets... Sept. 17th, 1887, Score cards.. Sept. 17th, 1887, Rebate, Order 351, 1886.. ..$ 8972 01 1775 13740 00 2578 00 925 00 2918 50 500 00 2000 00 103 00 2257 00 843 50 6481 50 1846 50 782 00 19 50 121 50 75 00 9 40 Sept. 17th, 1887, Rebate, Order 432, 1887. Total receipts. 3 20 51 25 .$44244 61 I have paid out the following amounts, for which I ask credit at your hands: Order No. 171, Series of 1886.. The following orders, drawn by the Secretary, and by him credited to me, I do not charge in my account, for the reason that they have been presented to me for payment: All vouchers are herewith submitted and made a part of this report. LEWIS A. KENT, The reports of Secretary and Treasurer were referred to a committee of three for auditing. Committee-B. D. Slaughter, J. E. North, and F. H. Holt. Adjourned to 7:30 this evening. FIRST DAY-EVENING SESSION. Meeting called to order by the President. Present as before. The annual address of the President being the special order for the hour, he had the Secretary read the following: Gentlemen of the State Board of Agriculture, Citizens and Farmers of Nebraska: A year has passed since the last meeting of the State Board. While other states have been visited with extreme drouths and floods and other evils to the farmer, our state has been comparatively free from such extremes, and the year has been one of prosperity. The state of Nebraska stands to-day at the head of the list of states for its good crops and its extra-good stock of all kinds and character. Other states are drawing largely on us for grain to feed both their people and their stock. In looking over the live stock reports of Chicago and other eastern cities we see Nebraska stock selling for the highest prices and also noted for its good quality. Let me say to the farmers and feeders of Nebraska, the better care you take, and the better you feed your stock, the greater will your profits be enhanced. Even at the high price of corn this year it pays to feed liberally. You farmers and feeders, through ability and energy, added to your abundance of corn and hay, have become the best feeders in the United States. The success of Nebraska to-day can be attributed to the intelligence and energy of her farmers and business men in the stock business more than anything else. Business men of eastern cities have seen that Nebraska is becoming the great stock state of. the Union, and have already invested millions of money in the slaughtering and packing business in the state, and more are coming. Last year over one million of hogs and a proportionate number of other stock were received at Omaha, besides a large number at Lincoln, Nebraska City, and other points in the state. This large amount of stock has returned large amounts of money, and each of you farmers that have done your duty have received the benefits These home markets are worth everything to the farmer of Nebraska. All other branches of trade can attribute their success to the farmer. You, gentlemen farmers, are the foundation of all successful business. Go to any place in the Union and where you find poor farming you find business depression in all branches of trade. The facts are, bankers, merchants, and all business institutions are dependent upon the farmer both for their being and the business they transact. The farmers have done more towards building up the cities scattered over the state than all other vocations, and on you, farmers, rests the continued prosperity of the state. Our state fairs are organized and should be conducted for your benefit. From such fairs as are held much can be learned. Other states contribute exhibits in large numbers, but farmers and stockmen of our state have shown to the world by exhibits made and premiums taken that no better stock or products of the soil can be raised than in Nebraska. The officers and members of your State Board of Agriculture have worked hard to make your state fair a success, and with your assistance they have succeeded beyond their most reasonable anticipation. While they have devoted their energies largely to farming and the stock business, they have not forgotten the interests of manufacturers and all branches of trade, and have given them every facility for exhibiting these articles. It has been said by some that your Board has given too much premiums to the speed ring, and no one feels it more keenly than the officers of the Board, but wherever it has been tried in other states to hold fairs without the Speed Department such fairs have been failures. Therefore your officers dare not try the experiment. In the matter of judges we have employed one expert in the Stock Department, and I would recommend that an expert judge be employed in all classes. I think it will give better satisfaction to the exhibitors. The old way of getting three judges has always been attended with trouble and annoyance, and it has been impossible to get good judges in that way. To the transportation companies of the state the Board is under continued obligation for their interest and assistance. The people of Lincoln during the year last past, as in previous years, have been active in promoting the success of the fair, and the press of the state has had an abundance of good words both for the exhibition and the State Board in its management. To all this, on behalf of the Board, I desire to return our thanks for their cordial assistance and co-operation. In conclusion let me renew my thanks expressed a year ago to the officers and members of the Board for their continued generous co-operation and kindness on every hand that made the work of my office and that has made the work pleasant and not without profit to the Society. SAMUEL M. BARKER. The address was referred to the same committee as the reports of Secretary and Treasurer. On motion, a committee of five, consisting of A. Humphrey, Henry Fry, Fred Gorder, E. N. Grennell, and W. L. May, was appointed to receive nominations, and report names to fill vacancies in the Board for the years 1888 and 1889. The following nominations were made: L. A. Kent, Kearney; J. D. McFarland, Lancaster; R. B. Windham, Cass; J. M. Lee, Furnas; R. R. Greer, Buffalo; J. B. McDowell, Jefferson; B. D.. Slaughter, Nance; G. L. Kimball, Adams; Ed. McIntyre, Seward; W. M. Robertson, Madison; Ed. Blewett, Dodge; S. M. Barker, Merrick; Chris. Hartman, Douglas; W. E. Hill, Otoe; R. Daniels, Sarpy; A. J. Leach, Antelope; J. C. Warner, Webster; X. Piasecki, Howard; W. R. Bowen, Douglas; D. V. Stevenson, Richardson; S. Barnard, Pawnee; M. L. Hayward, Otoe; Fred Gorder, Cass H. D. Kelley, Madison; J. E. Hill, Gage; A. V. S. Saunders, Gage; S. H. Webster, Valley; W. B. Bull, Pawnee; M. L. Trester, Lancaster. On motion, 10 o'clock to-morrow was made a special order for the election of officers. Adjourned to meet at nine and one-half o'clock to-morrow. SECOND DAY-MORNING SESSION. Present as yesterday. JANUARY 18th, 1888. The following communication from the Nebraska State University was read, and on motion referred to a committee of three, consisting of Aaron Wall, J. Jensen, J. C. Warner: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. OFFICE OF THE STEWARD AND SECRETARY, Hon. Robt. W. Furnas, Brownville, Nebraska: Prof. Bessey will doubtless communicate with you fully as to your personal relations to the Agricultural Experiment Station, as Lecturer, etc. The subject-matter which I present officially is the appointment of a committee by the State Agricultural Society to co-operate with the experiment station. Will you please present the matter to the Agricultural Society, and when they have taken action relating to the appointment of the proposed committee, please communicate the names proposed, to me. Yours very truly. J. S. DALES, Secretary and Steward. (From the proceedings of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, Dec., 1887.) The following report from a committee in charge of the matter was adopted: Your committee to whom was referred the report of Prof. Bessey, dean of the industrial college, submit the following report: Upon the matter of farmers' institutes, the committee recognize their desirability and usefulness, and recommend that if funds can be made available to prosecute such work, that the same be done to that extent, and that Prof. Bessey be authorized to arrange with ex-Gov. Furnas for service in this direction. Regarding an agricultural experiment station they recommend publication at once of bulletins No. 1 and No. 2, being reports of geologists and etomologists, referred to by Prof. Bessey. That the selection of working staff of the station for the present year and named in Prof. Bessey's report be confirmed, to-wit: H. H. Wing, agriculturalist. H. H. Nicholson, chemist, D. B. Brace, meteorologist. L. E. Hicks. geologist. C. G. McMillan, entomologist, C. E. Bessey, botanist. That the station for the study of animal diseases be made a department of the agricultural experiment station. That a treasurer be appointed to receive and pay out the money coming to this station. That an executive committee of three, consisting of the president of the board of regents, director of the experiment station, and the secretary of the university, be appointed to prepare rules for the conduct of the business of the station, and to execute the orders of the board of regents concerning the same, as from time to time made. That the state agricultural society be requested to appoint two members, the state horticultural society one member, the same to constitute a visiting committee, who shall make an annual report to the regents. That an annual report as provided in the Hatch bill so called be prepared and submitted in accordance with the terms of said bill. That the secretary of the board ask the postmaster general for directions as to means for free circulation of printed matter as contemplated by said Hatch bill, so called. That the amount expected to be received from the government for the current year, be assigned as follows: Buildings...... Investigator animal diseases.. Expenses and apparatus, veterinary department.... General expenses. ..$3,000 2,000 3,000 7,000 That Prof. Bessey and Prof. Wing be requested to submit at the next meeting some detailed plan, plat, or scheme, looking to preparation of lots and erection of residences upon the college farm. The following resolution introduced by Regent Burnham was adopted: WHEREAS, The University of Nebraska has, since its opening in 1871, and up to the present time, maintained a department or college, the leading object of which has been and is to teach those branches of learning which relate to agriculture and the mechanic arts, and including military tactics, under the provisions of an act of congress approved July 2, 1862, granting lands to the several states for the establishment of such colleges, and which said college is now known and designated as the industrial college of said university; and WHEREAS, The board of regents of said university have from time to time expended considerable sums of money in strictly scientific as well as popular experiments in various branches of learning and industry; and |