ed by us all; a citizen of clear and independent character; faultless in all the relations of private life; a soldier of approved valor; an officer in every public trust, of decision and integrity; an agriculturist whose example and devotion to the cause in which we are engaged, made him doubly dear to us all, died in August last, as he had lived, an honest and a good man.

In conclusion I would say that as the subject of Agriculture generally, has been so well and so variously treated by those who have preceded me, I have thought it best to confine my remarks principally to the necessity which will soon, if it does not already exist in this State, for a more thorough, careful and scientific system of husbandry, which, while it will, from the great facilities for reaching a market, afforded by our roads, canals, rivers and noble sea port, richly compensate the industrious and intelligent farmer, will, at the same time, hold out the best and surest inducement to the son to cling to the home of his chilhood; leaving the far distant west to be sought by those whose lands are less fertile, and whose facilities for transportation less numerous and improved. I am enabled to state, for the information of the Society, that agreeably to the statements of accounts for the past year, we now have in the treasury, after the payment of all expenses, the sum of $2,000; affording the best evidence, not only of the increasing interest which is felt and made manifest in all that concerns the land and its improvement, but also, if I may be allowed to add, of the prudence and economy with which the disbursements of the Society have been made during the past year. With my best thanks for the attention with which you have honored me, and my warmest wishes for the success and steady improvement of Agriculture, in all its branches and kindred associations, I now beg leave to present to you my successor, E. P. Prentice, of Albany, long one of our associates, and distinguished for his devotion to the cause of Agriculture, in all its branches, and for his practical knowledge and skill in the cultivation of the soil, and the breeding of those animals most useful to the farmer and for the market.

At the close of the President's Address, E. P. Prentice, Esq., the newly elected president, responded to the Society in an appropriate manner, for the honor conferred upon him in selecting him as their siding officer.

pre

On motion of Hon. J. P. Beekman, the thanks of the Society were tendered to Mr. King for the able and instructive address which he had delivered, and a copy of the same was desired for publication in the Transactions of the Society.

A vote of thanks was, on like motion, tendered to the officers of the Society for the satisfactory discharge of their appropriate duties the past year.

The Secretary, Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Sanford Howard, Esq., then offered the following resolutions, which were adopted:

Resolved, That the members of this society cherish with deep respect the memory of the late Henry Colman-a gentleman long and well known for his active zeal in the cause of agricultural improvement, and especially for the many interesting and instructive effusions of his pen on the various branches of rural economy.

Resolved, That we sincerely sympathise with the family of Mr. Colman in the painful bereavement they have sustained, and that the Secretary forward to them a copy of these resolutions.

On motion of Hon. S. Cheever,

Resolved, That the thanks of this Society be tendered to Professor Johnston, for coming here from his own country, at so much personal sacrifice, to deliver the address at our late Annual Fair at Syracuse, and also to give us the lectures which are now in the course of delivery, to all of which we have listened with the highest interest, which are so deeply fraught with entertainment and instruction, and so eminently tending to awaken the public mind to the importance of more intellecal improvement and scientific research, as connected with agricultural pursuits.

Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Mr. Vail, read the report of the committee appointed to examine the Treasurer's accounts-that the same were in all respects correct.

During the meeting of the Society, the following valuable additions were made to the museum and library of the Society:

N. Starbuck & Son, of Troy, deposited the Peekskill plow, got up at great expense and with very fine taste. This plow received the first premium of the Society, at Saratoga, in 1847, and is attracting much attention from the visiters at the rooms.

J. T. Grant, of Rensselaer county, presented a beautifully executed model of his fanning mill, to which the first premiums of this Society, as well as others, have repeatedly been awarded.

Mons. Alex. Vattemare, agent for International Exchanges, presented a very valuable collection of works to the library of the Society, from the Royal Horticultural Society of Paris; the National and Central Agricultural Society of Paris; Count de Gourcy's Agricultural Tours in Belgium and France in 1849, and in England and Scotland; and works from several authors on subjects interesting to agriculturists.

B. P. JOHNSON, Secretary.

MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

Present, E. P. Prentice, President.

January 18th.

A. Stevens, L. G. Morris, A. Van Bergen, J. B. Burnet, E. C. Frost, N. Van Ness, Vice Presidents. John A. King, J. M. Sherwood, J. B. Beekman, George Vail, Ex-Presidents. B. P. Johnson, J. McD. M'Intyre, Secretaries. Luther Tucker, Treasurer. B. B. Kirtland, Alexander Thompson, M. D., Herman Wendell, M. D., Henry Wager, Executive Committee.

Application having been made on behalf of the citizens of Albany for the next Fair of the Society to be held at or near the city,

On motion of Col. J. M. Sherwood,

Resolved, That the next Annual Fair of the Society be held on the 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th of September next.

Resolved, That the Fair be held at or near the city of Albany, on condition that the citizens of Albany, on or before the second Thursday of February next, present to the Executive Committee a valid bond, conditioned that the Society shall not be charged with any of the local expenses of the Show, and that the arrangements of the grounds, erection of the buildings, clerks, police, forage, refreshments, and incidental expenses attending the Fair, shall all be prepared and furnished as required by the Executive Committee; and that an agreement of the keepers of the public houses be furnished, that they will entertain the public during the week of the Show at their usual rates, to be specified by each.

The premium list for 1850 was taken up and adopted.

The resolution of J. P. Beekman, that the Executive Committee cause to be published one thousand copies of Prof. Norton's essay, to be awarded as premiums, was taken up and adopted.

Analysis of Soils, Manures, &c.

A laboratory has been established, and Mr. J. H. Salisbury, chemist, has taken charge of the same, for the purpose of affording a more ready means of obtaining analyses of soils, peat, rocks, manures, &c. In order to render the laboratory more accessible to farmers, the follow[Assembly, No. 175.] 11

ing rates of charges have been approved of by the Executive Committee:

1. Complete quantative analysis of a soil,......

2. Complete inorganic analysis of manures, marls and peat,.. 3. Proximate organic analysis of manures,.

4. Analysis for obtaining one ingredient,...

...

....

5. For information on any particular subject,.....

The above fees to accompany all samples or communications, which may be directed to the Secretary of the Society.

For analysis, from to 1 lb. of material will be sufficient.

After the transaction of the ordinary monthly business of the Society, the Committee adjourned. B. P. JOHNSON,

Secretary.

LECTURES BY PROF. JAMES F. W. JOHNSTON, F. R. S., S. L. AND E. On the General Relations of Science to Practical Agriculture. Prof. Johnston, on the invitation of the Society, visited this country, and made his first appearance before an American audience, at the Annual Fair at Syracuse. The impressions which were made by his admirable address delivered on that occasion, were in the highest degree gratifying, and but increased the desire to listen to the course of lectures which he had engaged to deliver during the winter. The lectures were delivered before the Society, members of the Legislature, Professors and students of the Normal School and Medical College, and a large number of gentlemen of the city and vicinity, in the Assembly Chamber, which was kindly tendered for that purpose. To say that the lectures equalled not only, but even exceeded the expectations which had been formed of them, would but express the united opinion of all who heard them. Their practical adaptation to the business of the farmer, secured the attention and confidence of every practical farmer who listened to them: and we shall be greatly mistaken, if the perusal of them does not secure equal confidence on the part of the farmers of our country.

The lectures are from a report made by SHERMAN CROSWELL, Esq., which are given with great accuracy, considering the rapidity with which Prof. J. spoke. They were received with strong marks of approbation, during their delivery; and at the close, on motion of the Hon. J. P. Beekman, resolutions of approval were unanimously adopted.

LECTURE FIRST.

THE RELATIONS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY TO PRACTICAL AGRICulture.

GENTLEMEN OF THE NEW-YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY: I take this, the first public opportunity which has presented itself to me, to thank you for the very kind attentions received at your hands at Syracuse, and I take the liberty of craving from you, for the series of lectures I am now about to commence, the same indulgent forbearance which you shewed towards the address delivered to you on that occasion. The general object of these lectures is to give you a brief sketch of the relations, the general relations of natural science to rural economy.

It will be impossible for me to fill up a single one of the numerous outlines I shall have occasion to present to you. My purpose will be to impress on you the great breadth of existing knowledge which bears on the farmer's art. And first, to show the character, the true practical position which his own art occupies among human pursuits. And in the second place, to satisfy men engaged in other occupations, that whatever farmers, as a class, may be, in any country, at any time, they ought not, either for their own individual interest or for the interest of the country to which they belong, to be less intelligent, or less instructed in general and special knowledge, than other classes of the community are.

Such a course of lectures is likely to be useful at the present time; in the first place, because of the position which according to my judg ment practical agriculture now occupies in this State; and secondly, because of the measures which the State Legislature, during the present session, are likely to take-I hope will take in order to improve that condition.

I shall also make it one of my objects to show you that natural science has not only a direct money bearing on the pockets and property of the