FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF BARRY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY DEC. 22, 1874.

In presenting this, our twenty-fourth annual report of the Hillsdale County Agricultural Society, for the year 1874, we will no doubt reiterate the complaint of many kindred societies "that the drouth the past summer has greatly diminished the season's product:" consequently our report must be very unsatisfactory to us as well as to you, the guardians of the agricultural interests of the State. From the fact that we have suffered from this scourge for the last five years as never before so periodically, we may be allowed to give our view as as to some of the causes, and suggest such remedies as come within the reach of every tiller of the soil,-not that we would run counter to Him who ordained the seasons, but that we should conform to His laws in all things.

To our minds there are two primary causes for these periodical visitations, both the direct result of our own doings. The first in so denuding our lands of timber, and the second in cropping our soil so excessively beyond its capability to withstand the heavy draft put upon it. To establish our first proposition we have only to compare and review the meteorological tables for the last forty years. By them we find at that early period, when the whole country was comparatively new, with a large portion densely wooded, that drouth seldom occurred,-periodical drouths never,-the affinity of electricity in wood and atmosphere always producing rain in season. Tracing these tables down, we find that just in proportion as our timber has been removed has our rainfall diminished, until drouths have become chronic, and may be expected as regularly as seasons rotate.

If this cause is correct, founded in the laws of nature, it behooves every agriculturist to commence the work of restoration at once, and not rest satisfied until he has laid broad and permanent foundation for the work. It involves a radical change in the management of our farms. We must stop cutting our timber for the paltry sum we now receive for it in wood and lumber. We must for every tree thus removed plant ten, and cry down the abominable practice pursued by many of cutting down every shade tree and hedge row bordering their farms,-forsooth they absorb the moisture from the soil about them, thereby diminishing the crop.

Our second proposition will be more difficult to overcome. It is met by many as an innovation from the practice of the fathers. "They did so and so, and succeeded: I will trust to follow in their footsteps," is the reasoning of many, too many, of our agriculturalists of the present day.

Innovation or new practices are words not allowed in their vocabulary. But, young man, or middle-aged man, are you sure you are following in the footsteps of him who went before? Have you carefully surveyed your surroundings, made note of them, and compared them with his? Are they in all particulars equal and similar? How do your acres compare with his? How do your products, marketed, compare with his? Where were the railroads and canals with their outstretched arms to gather his products and bear them to other climes as now, in your day? Where were the agricultural papers, schools, and colleges in which his calling was ranked as a science, taught in theory and practice, as now? The facts are, his was a pioneer life, in an age of frugal economy. The desire of his heart was full and he was content. The products of the soil were but a tithe forty years ago, or even thirty, to what they are now. They were largely consumed at home. Farms had not been impaired by long and continued cropping. An abundant supply of timber throughout. The result was liberal harvests, without extremes in heat or cold.

But one generation passeth and another cometh; and it is pertinent to inquire, What of our inheritance? To the eye it is lovely,-all that mortal ken could desire. In a commercial sense, comparing it with the past, we find a steady diminution of from one to twenty per cent. We inquire the cause, and satisfy ourselves by charging it to the heat of summer or the frosts of winter, when in truth this is the effect, and not the cause, of our present management. This constant cropping "without any return" has so completely drained our land of all the salts and alkalies so necessary for the production of a crop, that it has become a heap of inert matter, perfectly dead to vegetation or plant growth, so soon as the mercury indicates a degree above temperate heat. The life sap of our farms has been shipped, with our wheat, corn, and oats, to a for

eign market, and we have forgotten to return any part of it to the soil from which we extracted it. Were we compelled to return the one-half of the value of our products taken therefrom for the next ten years, in the form of manures, composts, plaster, ashes, and salts, with under-draining and deep tillage, we would not hear the complaint of drouth as now, or suffer from the effects. Our soils would be fitted to retain moisture instead of evaporating it. Vegetation would strike deep, and have ample supplies to carry it through a tropical heat. As watchmen of the agricultural interests of our county, and for the interest of our State, we desire to put ourselves on record in this public manner, as advocating a new departure in tillage before poverty so overtakes us that we cannot help ourselves.

In the matter of crops our report will not be very encouraging. Wheat was fair, average about eighteen bushels to the acre, of excellent quality,-never better. Corn was light,-not over two-thirds of a crop on an average. In deep soils, with thorough cultivation, it was never better: good evidence that the effect of drouth may be largely overcome. Oats, in the newer parts of the county, where well put in, gave very satisfactory returns. Potatoes a very light crop. Cause, degenerate seed, late planting, and poor cultivation. Assignable cause, drought. Buckwheat a light crop,-season too warm and dry. Hay, on well-cared-for meadows, a good crop of ore and a half tons to the acre,-the average for the county not more than half the amount. Clover not over a third of the usual stand,-direct result of over-cropped lands. Fruit-onethird of a crop of apples, neglected orchards, badly damaged by codling moth. Peaches a fair crop; the same of pears; also of grapes. Small fruits inferior for want of proper cultivation.

Stock-In cattle we are making steady progress upward. Our Short-horns are winning a national reputation, and impressing their value through the State and in their own vicinity. We have also a few Jerseys and Ayrshires, which we hope to develope in the improvement of our dairies. Horses are not what we would desire. We have been running the Morgans for years, have raised many of merit, but they drift to the eastern market as soon as they are brought to the harness. Sheep.-Probably there are but few counties in the State that excel us in sheep. Our fine-wools are the descendants of many of the best Vermont importations, and our convenience to markets is such that they are much more desirable to us than the combing wools or mutton sheep. Swine. Our leading breeds are the Essex, Berkshire, Magie, and Poland. These seem to be supplanting all mixed and mongrel breeds, including the socalled Chester Whites. Poultry. Their names are legion. Without undertaking to enumerate, we can say without boasting that we raise all classes of quality, and the profits from the same will equal if not exceed our pork crop. Our mechanical interests have been well sustained through the financial crisis of the year, but no marked additions have been made.

Our educational interests received a very heavy blow in March last, by the burning of Hillsdale college,—an institution that has done much for the last twenty years in moulding and educating the sons and daughters of the farmers of the county and State; but by the exertions of its friends it is being rebuilt in a more enduring form, and modernized to the requirements of the present age, ranking with the best in the State.

Our annual exhibition was held September 29 and 30 and October 1 and 2. The weather was very favorable. Our entries were larger than ever before. Quality in all was very conspicuous, consequently our awards were large, as shown by the following table:

Financially the fair was a great success. The receipts were $4,632 93. Our expenses were $996 77, including secretary's and treasurer's salaries, leaving us net, after paying expenses and premiums, the sum of $2,464 52, to be appropriated to payment of indebtedness and improvements.

The officers of the society for the ensuing year are: President, Fred. E. Curtis; Vice President, Alex. Hewitt; Secretary, F. M. Holloway; Treasurer, C. H. Winchester, and a director from each town in the county and two to the city of Hillsdale.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

F. M. HOLLOWAY, Secretary.

F. E. CURTIS, President.

KALAMAZOO COUNTY.

The annual meeting of the County Agricultural Society was held at Corporation Hall, in Kalamazoo, on Saturday, January 16th, at 1:30 P. M.

The president, W. H. Cobb, called the meeting to order, and announced that this was the regular annual meeting of the society, called under the rule adopted some years since, for the purpose of submitting reports of the business of last year, the election of officers for the coming year, and the consideration of such topics as would naturally be introduced. He announced that the esteemed treasurer of the society, W. H. McCourtie, Esq., was unable to be present on account of severe illness, but that the secretary would be able to present a summary statement of the financial condition of the treasury, which he was pleased to say was full of encouragement for the future.

The secretary, Mr. Frank Little, then made the following report:

Mr. President and Gentlemen:

In presenting the annual report of the transactions of the Kalamazoo County Agricultural Society for the year 1874, just passed, I ask your indulgence for such deviations as I may make from what would be required in a mere statistical statement of the doings of the society.

In the report submitted one year ago, the history of the society, previous to the year 1873, in its financial aspects, was briefly sketched, and it was then shown that its affairs were at a very low ebb, and had been so for a long time, and it was with many misgivings that the officers entered upon the work of resuscitation. But thanks to the liberality of the people of the county, and a feeling prevalent that it was high time to awake out of sleep, there was realized at the fair of 1873, enough to pay all the expenses and premiums awarded, in full, and a surplus was left in the treasury of the society at the commencement of the year 1874, amounting to the sum of five hundred and thirty-nine dollars and twelve cents ($539 12).

We have convened to-day, Mr. President, for the purpose of balancing up the books of the old, and to lay the foundation for the work of the new year, and it gives me great pleasure to say that the results of the past year far exceed those of any period in the previous history of the society. It is a matter of congratulation here to know that the citizens of Kalamazoo county are not only able but willing to sustain a county fair. It was noticeable, the universal enthusiasm and good feeling that prevailed alike among the exhibitors, as well as the large number of spectators who visited the grounds during the fair.

As you well know, the exhibition was given at National Park, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Sept. 29th and 30th, and Oct. 1st and 2d. The weather, with the exception of the second day, which was rather cold and windy, was propitious, and the grounds and buildings had been put in excellent order by the efficient corps of superintendents who had that matter in charge. The first two days of the fair were devoted to taking entries of articles and animals, and placing them properly for exhibition. The whole number of entries in the various departments was as follows:

It will be remembered that the past season has been an unusually dry one in our county and State, and the entries in respect to numbers in many of the departments were materially affected thereby. In the various classes of horses the exhibition was not only large in numbers, but excellent in the quality of animals shown. The show of seventeen fine blooded colts, progeny of " Rock," the well-known bay stallion owned by Hon. Chas. E. Stuart, I deem worthy of especial mention.

One of the most attractive places was fruit hall. The display in this department was large, admirably arranged, and very fine throughout, nearly equal to, if not surpassing in some respects, that of the pomological society at the State fair. Also the exhibit of vegetables, seeds, grain, and field crops, house