ted by the most enlightened States of Europe, and especially by the scientific men of those countries. *

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Heretofore statisticians, have been chiefly, like the geologists, and a short time since, the chemists, engaged in ascertaining the facts of their science rather than the general and universal laws which govern it.

The SCIENCE of statistics, like the mechanics of the natural world, embraces two systems of principles: 1, The principles of man and society as a fixed existence, simply as beings; 2, The principles of man and society in movement. All the elements of the physical man, and the natural relations of age, sex, aliment and disease, belong to the first system; and in the present state of society may safely be left to men of science pursuing their own inquries in their own mode. All the principles which relate to growth, industry, production, culture, art, commerce, education, religion, invention and vitality, belong to the second system, or SOCIETY IN MOVEMENT. It is the last which most interests the people. The principles which govern the movement of society can only be deduced by ascertaining all the elements of society at successive periods of time. In other words the precise state of facts at precise periods must be ascertained. The relation which this state of facts in one period bears to the state of facts in another period in any one line of movement, is the relative measure of that movement, and when all the movements of population, art, education, property, religion, vitality, crime and pauperism have been ascertained, at different periods, it will be seen at once how they have influenced each other-how they have been influenced by natural causes, and what legislation has proved injurious or beneficial.

These facts are the immediate objects of statistical inquiries, and this science the ultimate end to which they lead."

Ohio and some other of our sister States have been wiser in this regard than we; and they are now in possession of annual photographs of the enumerated elements of society, which are priceless in their immediate and historic interest and value. If we possessed such pictures with the series extending no farther into the past than to the commencement of the late civil war, simply showing the movement of society in this State from 1860 to the present time, every reflecting citizen would esteem them as he would household portraits, enhancing in value with the lapse of each succeeding year. For the reasons thus briefly adver

ted to we respectfully and earnestly ask that the whole subject may receive at the hands of the General Assembly that careful consideration to which its importance to the people of this State so justly

entitles it.

IMPROVED FARM MACHINERY.

In view of the aspect of affairs in the winter of 1861, the policy of the Board was thus early decided upon to use the means at their disposal and every available facility to multiply and improve laborsaving farm implements and machinery. This seemed to be their first official duty; and, accordingly, the premium list of the society in the Mechanical Department was thoroughly revised. The amount offered in premiums in that class for the year 1861, exceeded three fold that offered in any preceding year, resulting, whether for that or some other reason, in a display of implements and machinery and devices in the mechanic arts at the annual fair of that year, never before equaled on any similar occasion in this State.

It was deemed by all reflecting persons who witnessed it a proud and most assuring evidence that even the terrible internal convulsion, which was then just beginning to be felt by the nation in its full force, would fail to paralyze or seriously disturb the industry of the people. Apprehensions so generally entertained, that agricultural production would be much lessened by reason of the withdrawal of a large per cent. of farm laborers to fight the battles of the country, were quieted if not entirely removed by that single exhibition of the numerous triumphs of inventive skill, and the knowledge it afforded that inventors and mechanics and manufacturers fully comprehended the importance and the resulting profit of redoubling their energies to compensate for the loss of manual labor in the field.

Pursuing the same policy of encouraging invention, the Board, in July of the following year, held a field trial of implements used in harvesting. The location selected was near the city of Dixon, in Lee county. The number of entries for that trial were, of combined reapers and mowers, 14; of independent reapers, 8; of independent mowers, 12; of one horse mowers, 1; of harvesting machines 3; and of grain binders, 1. The time occupied in testing the machines was six days. For the results we respectfully refer

you to the full report of the Executive Committee, by whom the

trial was conducted, and which will be found on succeeding pages; desiring to add to that simply a confirmation of our opinion therein expressed of the great practical value of all such competitive exhibitions.

During the next following year, 1863, a field trial of Earth-displacing Implements was held near the city of Decatur, under the auspices of the Executive Board. The list of entries comprisedPlows for general purposes, Gang Plows, Trench Plows, Cultivators, Corn Planters, Field Rollers, Harrows, Seed and Grain Drills, Broad-cast Sowers, Corn and Cane Cutters. Again we were gratified and astonished by the evidence of rapid progress in the improvement of this class of machinery. Almost all of the implements presented for trial were, either in whole or in essential parts, inventions of very recent date, and it is safe to say that their use. upon the farm as compared with the use of those chiefly employed for the same purposes a few years previous, would result and has resulted in an actual saving of one-third to one-half of the labor and cost of the operations performed! This was clearly apparent and unquestionable as regards those implements employed in the preparation of the soil, and after culture and handling of Indian corn, the great staple crop of Central Illinois.

It may not be improper to call attention to the fact that with few, if any, exceptions, the implements tested were invented and manufactured by citizens of this State, notwithstanding competition from abroad was warmly solicited. The report of the Awarding Committee, very full and complete, will be found it its place in this volume.

Marked and wonderful as have already been the improvement and economy of labor in the use of machinery on the farm, that improvement still continues apparently without check or abatement. The smooth surface, the easily worked soil of the prairies, and the appreciative enterprise of our farming communities all conspire to facilitate invention, and to reward it abundantly. So that it would seem the time cannot be far distant when, in the matter of improved means and methods of culture, there will be little left to be desired. The introduction of steam as a successful motive power for the plow or the spader has not yet been effected, but the idea itself has not been abandoned, notwithstanding the substantial failure of every experiment heretofore made to reduce it to practice. So long as the horse and the ox can be produced so easily, subsisted

so cheaply, trained so perfectly, applied so readily to the farmer's use, under so great a variety of conditions and for such a multiplicity of purposes, and in any event are likely to be required for the after culture of many of our most important crops, as well as for the service of thousands of our citizens who are not farmers, it does not seem probable that they will soon be supplanted by any other motive power for general use on the farm. Still we do not seek to repress the efforts of those who differ with us in opinion and who are bending their energies to the work of substituting steam for animal power in farming. We certainly wish them "God speed" and will rejoice as heartily as they when permitted to witness and chronicle their success. To inventors generally, whose quiet labors have so signally benefitted the country during the past few years by enabling the farmer to perform his work with far greater rapidity and in a much superior manner, we desire to make this acknowledgment as due from those whose duty and pleasure it has so often been to observe the triumphs of their skill.

MANUFACTURES.

For reasons already assigned we can present no reliable data showing precisely or approximately the progress achieved in this branch of domestic industry. That some advance has been made, and that, too, very considerable, is well understood. The skilled labor required to prosecute it has been at various times difficult to procure, and often unsettled and unreliable. High prices for labor, as for everything else, have prevailed. Old establishments, however, in nearly every instance within our knowledge have sustained themselves, and in many departments their production has been largely increased. This has been the case not merely with those engaged in the manufacture of articles of whatever nature required for use in the army, but the same prosperity has extended to and an equal activity pervaded them all. As men were withdrawn from the farms, improved implements, pari passu, were introduced to supply their places. The maintenance of the armies of the republic, now become consumers and not producers, necessitated the enlargement of facilities for the manufacture of almost every article fabricated for the household or the farm, and promptly was the demand responded to. New branches of manufactures have been introduced, and especially has attention been directed to the production of fabrics from fibres easily grown within our own borders. Heretofore the great want has been capital. All other elements

required to give this State prominence as a manufacturing district are, and have been, here. The contents of this volume alone present most convincing evidence of the fact as stated. With coal of excellent quality and in quantity beyond the power of figures to express underlying at easy mining depth more than three-fourths of the State's surface-the common useful minerals either found here in large quantities or readily obtained from immense natural deposits the Illinois, Rock, Fox, Kankakee and many other rivers and streams capable of furnishing water power almost beyond computation-a soil and climate admirably adapted to the production of all the materials which soil in the temperate zone anywhere can be relied upon to furnish, whether it be fibres or breadstuffs and provisions, there surely can be no assignable reason why we may not soon become noted as a manufacturing State. There are many considerations which render the realization of this result at an early day desirable, and which point with unerring certainty to that end. We cannot long afford to disregard our natural resources, valuable only as they are made available. We cannot always see the waters of our streams run on in crystal purity to the ocean without adding to the wealth and welfare of our people; we shall not forever leave our great coal bed undisturbed save as its black diamonds may be needed to warm our bodies or cook our food, and we certainly shall not forever consent to be simply "hewers of wood and drawers of water," by producing only the bulky necessaries of life and the raw materials for commerce, paying transportation on them thousands or even hundreds of miles, and receiving in exchange costly manufactures which might be fabricated at our doors at far less expense to us. The past four years have afforded us a rich experience, and the lesson cannot be forgotten. The impetus given to every department of manufac tures which had obtained a foothold--the now augmented capitalthe inviting facilities profusely abounding on every hand-the certain and remunerative market north and south and west of us, as well as in our midst-the attention of our people now becoming fully aroused and comprehending the "situation," will, we trust, soon open to us as a State new avenues leading to wealth, prosperity and a proper independence.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

Adapted, as this State is, throughout its entire limits and in every part, to a system of mixed husbandry of almost unlimited variety,