SEC. 3. That the sum of two hundred dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated from the Treasury, for the use of the Board; and an account of the expenditures of the Board shall be included in the Annual Report of the Board to the General Assembly. SEC. 4. So much of the law to which this is an amendment, as conflicts with the provisions of this act, is hereby repealed. WILLIAM P. CUTLER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Passed Feb. 8th, 1847. Speaker of the Senate. AN ACT To create a permanent Agricultural Fund for the State of Ohio. SEC. 1, Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That there shall be created, from the several sources hereinafter mentioned, a fund which shall be known as the "State Agricultural Fund." SEC. 2. That the minimum amount authorized to be charged by county Auditors for permits, under the law passed February twenty-eighth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, entitled an act to regulate public shows," shall be and is hereby increased to twenty dollars, and that one-half the revenue in each and every county, derived from such source, be set apart to the "State Agricultural Fund," to be paid over, by the county Treasurer, to the Treasurer of State, at their settlements with the Auditor of State, as other moneys collected for that purpose now are; and that the other half remain, as now provided by law, for the use and benefit of the common school fund. SEC. 3. That whenever any real or personal property shall escheat to the State, under the eighth and ninth sections of an act entitled "an act regulating descents and the distribution of personal estates," passed February twenty-fourth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and all such as have heretofore so escheated under the provisions of said law, and which have not been taken possession of under the law entitled "an act concerning escheated lands," passed February twenty-fifth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, shall be taken possession of, in the name of the State, by the county Auditor of the county in which such property may be found, and by him sold at public auction, at the county seat of such county, to the highest bidder, after having given thirty days notice of such intended sale, in some newspaper printed within the county. SEC. 4. The Court of Common Pleas shall, on the application of the county Auditor, appoint three disinterested freeholders of the county to appraise such real property, who shall be governed by the same rule as appraisers in Sheriffs' or Administrators' sales; and the Auditor shall sell such property at not less than two thirds of its appraised value, and may, at his discretion, sell the same for cash, or for one third cash, and the balance in equal annual payments; the deferred payments to be amply secured; and upon the payment of the whole amount of consideration money, shall execute a deed to the purchaser, in the name and on behalf of the State of Ohio. SEC. 5. All moneys arising from sales made under this act, shall be paid over by the county Auditor to the Treasurer of the county, to be by him accounted for and paid into the State Treasury at his annual settlement with the Auditor of State, as other moneys collected for State purposes, for the use and benefit of the "State Agricultural Fund." SEC. 6. The fund hereby created, shall be at the disposal of the State Board of Agriculture, for the improvement of the Agricultural interests of the State, in such manner as they may deem most conducive to that object, until otherwise provided for by legislative enactment; and shall at all times be held subject, upon such property being legally reclaimed by any heir, to the payment to the purchaser of the State, of the original purchase money, and legal interest to the time of such reclamation. (Sections seven to ten, inclusive, relate to the use of escheated lands in the city of Cincinnati, for the benefit of a "house of correction," established there.) SEC. 11. All acts and parts of acts, inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed. WILLIAM P. CUTLER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. EDSON B. OLDS, Passed February 8th, 1847. Speaker of the Senate. AN ACT Further to amend an act entitled "an act for the encouragement of Agriculture," passed Feb. 27, 1846. 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the Ohio State Board of Agriculture shall have the power to audit and pay the ordinary expenses of the Board, including the necessary personal expenses of members in their attendance on not more than three meetings in any one year, out of any funds now in their hands, or that may arise under the provisions of the "act to create a permanent agricultural fund in the State of Ohio, and for other purposes," passed Feb. 8, 1847; and it shall be the duty of the Board in their annual report, to state the names of the persons to whom any payment is made under this act, and the amount paid to each. 2. This act to take effect from and after its passage. (Signed,) JOSEPH S. HAWKINS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. CHARLES B. GODDARD, Passed Feb. 18, 1848. Speaker of the Senate. INSTRUCTIONS. For the formation and management of County Agricultural So cieties. The following extracts from the law in reference to County Societies, and the rules of the Board on the same subject, are appended to this report, for the convenience of those who may be concerned in the organization or management of such Societies. 66 THE LAW For the encouragement of Agriculture," passed February 27, 1846, provides SEC. 1. That whenever thirty or more persons, residents of any county, or district embracing two counties of this State, shall organize themselves into a society for the improvement of agriculture within said county or district, and shall have adopted a constitution and bylaws, agreeably to the rules and regulations to be furnished by the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, hereinafter created, and shall have appointed the usual and proper officers; and when the said society shall have raised and paid to the treasurer, by voluntary subscription, or by fees imposed upon it members, any sum of money in each year, not less than fifty dollars; and whenever the president of said society shall certify, to the respective county auditors, the amount thus paid, attested by the oath of the treasurer before a magistrate, it shall be the duty of the said county auditors, embraced within the district in which such society shall be organized, to draw an order on the treas urer of the respective county, in favor of the president and treasurer of said society, for a sum equal to the amount thus raised: Provided, it does not exceed half a cent to each inhabitant of the said county, upon the basis of the last previous national census, but not to exceed, in any county, the sum of two hundred dollars; and it shall be the duty of the treasurer of the said county to pay the same. SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the several county or district societies which may be formed under the provisions of the preceding section, during the continuance of this act, annually to offer and award premiums for the improvement of soils, tillage, crops, manures, implements, stock, articles of domestic industry, and such other articles, productions and improvements, as they may deem proper; and may perform all such acts as they may deem best calculated to promote the agricultural and household manufacturing interests of the district, and of the State; and it shall also be their duty, so to regulate the amount of premiums, and the different grades of the same, as that it shall be competent for small as well as large farmers to have an opportunity to compete therefor; and in making their awards, special reference shall be had to the profits which may accrue, or be likely to accrue from the improved mode of raising the crop, or of improving the soil, or stock, or of the fabrication of the articles thus offered, with the intention that the premium shall be given for the most economical mode of improvement; and all persons offering to compete for premiums on improved modes of tillage, or the production of any crops or other articles, shall be required, before such premium is adjudged, to deliver to the awarding committee a full and correct statement of the process of such mode of tillage or production, and the expense and value of the same, with a view of showing accurately the profits derived or expected to be derived therefrom, SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of each county or district society, to publish annually a list of the awards, and an abstract of the Treasurer's account, in a newspaper of the district; and to make a report of their proceedings during the year, and a synopsis of the awards for improvements in agriculture, and household manufactures, together with an abstract of the several descriptions of these improvements; and also make a report of the condition of agriculture in their county or district, which reports shall be made out in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, and shall be forwarded to the State Board at their annual meeting in December in each year. And no subsequent payment shall be made from the county Treasury, unless a certificate is presented to the Auditor from the President of the State Board, showing that such reports have been duly made. [Sections 4 and 5, appoint the State Board of Agriculture.] SEC. 6. There shall be held in the city of Columbus, on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in December, an annual meeting of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, together with the president of each county agricultural society, or other delegates therefrom, duly authorized, who shall, for the time being, be ex officio members of the State Board of Agriculture, for the purpose of deliberation and consultation as to the wants, prospects, and condition of the agricultural interests throughout the State; and at such annual meeting the several reports from the county societies shall be delivered to the President of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture; and the said President and delegates shall, at this meeting, elect suitable persons to fill all vacancies in the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. SEC. 7. And it shall be the duty of the said board to make an annual report to the General Assembly of the State, embracing the proceedings of the board for the past year, and an abstract of the proceedings of the several county agricultural societies, as well as a general view of the condition of agriculture throughout the State, accompanied by such recommendations as they may deem interesting and useful. RULES, Adopted by the Board at its first meeting, for the organization and management of County or District Societies. [These rules should form the basis of the constitutions of the societies.] 1. The Officers of the society shall consist of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and five Managers; who, together, shall constitute a Board of Directors, for the general management of the affairs of the society; they shall be elected annually by the members of the society, and hold their offices until their successors are appointed. 2. Members of the Society must be residents of the county or district, and pay the sum of one dollar annually to the treasurer. 3. Competitors for premiums must be members of the society. 4. A list of the articles for which premiums are to be awarded by the society must be published in a newspaper or in handbills, at least one month previous to the day of exhibition. 5. All articles offered for premiums must be owned by the persons offering the same, or by members of their families; and products of the soil, or manufactured articles, must be produced or manufactured within the county or district. 6. Awarding Committees of three persons each, shall be annually appointed by the directors of the society, for judging the different classes of articles offered in competition, and awarding premiums for the same. 7. The awarding committees must comply with the provisions of the law in requiring competitors for premiums on crops, and other improvements, to furnish full and correct statements of the process and expense of culture and production, &c. 8. Competitors for premiums on crops shall be required to have the ground and its produce accurately measured by not less than |