REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,

FOR 1869 AND 1870.

To the Governor of the State of Illinois:

SIR: Pursuant to the provisions of an act of the General Assembly of this State, approved by your Excellency on the 17th day of April, A. D. 1871, we herewith present for publication the report of the Transactions of the Illinois State Agricultural Society for the years 1869 and 1870. The report is substantially a transcript of the record of the proceedings of the Executive Committee of said Society, together with copies of important papers and essays which came before that committee during the term covered by the report. Comparing the matter now submitted with that embodied in either of the preceding reports of this Society, it will be found that the scope of the present report is much the most restricted of the series; and of this we desire to say a word in explanation. Previous to the publication of the last volume of transactions, covering the years 1867 and 1868, there never was a provision of law, or even a suggestion in any act of the General Assembly of this State, that a report of the Transactions of the State Agricultural Society be made. Joint resolutions for printing such reports have been passed from time to time, but neither the act of incorporation of the Society, nor any subsequent legislation, imposed the preparation of such report as a duty, or in any manner suggested it.

The act of incorporation, approved February 8, 1853, section 2, states the object of the Society as "being to promote the agricultural, horticultural, mechanical and household arts." With this object in view, Dr. John A. Kennicott, the Corresponding Secretary in charge at the expiration of the term of office of the first elected Executive Committee, in obedience to the instructions of that committee, submitted to the Governor and General Assembly, January 3, 1855, a report of the "Transactions of the

U. of Cel,

WI

16951 (16201)