vation and manuring, coupled with watchful energy, have produced large and profitable returns to the husbandman. The prices of live stock have been satisfactory, and fair returns realized on investments in these divisions of agriculture. The weather during the Spring months and until Midsummer was favorable for growing-crops, and yields are fully up to the average for early products, while the prolonged drought of the late Summer and Autumn months greatly retarded late vegetation and reduced the yield of most crops. Corn was sufficiently advanced prior to the drought to escape serious damage; the dry Autumn weather favored its maturing, and the result is, if not the largest, it is the best matured crop of corn harvested for many years.

Immediately after our last session, the committee bent its energies to secure a larger number of copies of the annual report. In this they were successful, receiving an increase of 2,000 copies. Owing to vexatious delays the report was not issued until April, hence the lateness of its distribution. The Committee on Legislation were active in preparing the recommendations referred to them for legislation, and in due time the bills re-organizing the State Board of Agriculture, ncreasing the efficiency of the Experiment Station, and amending the milk law so as to secure the right of trial by jury, were severally presented to the Legislature, and passed with scarcely a dissenting vote, and are now, all of them, laws in active operation.

Under the provisions of the new law regulating the State Board of Agriculture, it became the duty of the Executive Committee' to assist and encourage the formation of County Boards of Agriculture in the several counties of the State, and to this end some member of the committee has been in attendance at the annual meetings of these Boards whenever sufficient notice has been given to enable them to be present. In every instance that has come under our notice, we have found continued evidence of the usefulness of the Boards and their efficiency as important adjuncts to the State Board to enable it to accomplish its purpose of effecting a systematic organization for the advancement of the agriculture and horticulture of the State, and place it in the position its dignity and importance so justly entitle it to maintain. We therefore earnestly impress upon those now in attendance from counties that are not yet represented through a County Board, to take the necessary steps to effect such an organization in their respective counties at as early a day as possible.

The time of the individual members of the Executive Committee during the past few months has been largely taken up in preparing an exhibit of the cereal products of our State for the World's Exposition at New Orleans. The lateness of the appointment and the limited time allotted for its collection and shipment, necessarily prevented us from securing samples from all the counties in the State, although notice through the newspapers and by circulars were duly given and individual contributions solicited; we were, however, successful in getting creditable samples of nearly all varieties of grains, grasses and nuts grown in the State, except acorns, the crop of which proved to be an entire failure. Our collection will embrace over 200 jars, similar to the one presented for your inspection, besides displays of grain in the sheaf, corn on the stalk and in the ear, and a large collection of photographic views of farm-homes and farm views, which will be shown collectively in large frames.

We cannot close this report without recognizing the efficient services of Messrs. Ward and Baird, of the State Horticultural Society, through whose energy the horticultural interests were represented, and who also included the vegetable exhibit in their collection, thus completing the agricultural exhibit of the State.

In the discharge of these duties the Executive Committee are pleased to acknowledge the uniform courtesy, confidence and interest extended to them by Gen. C. H. Barney, the State Commissioner, through whose influence and foresight the State will be creditably represented in the great Exposition. To General Barney is due the recognition of the State Board of Agriculture, and at his solicitation a roster of the officers of the Board has been engrossed and displayed among the agricultural exhibits, thus placing the State Board in the position it was designed to occupy, the recognized head of the agricultural interest of the State. During the collecting of this exhibit, the efficiency of the County Boards of Agriculture became apparent from the manner in which the Mercer County Board collected and delivered an excellent collection of the products of their county. Had they consulted the Commissioners, they would have been saved much unnecessary trouble, thus practically demonstrating the utility of a harmonious organization throughout the State.

Notwithstanding our familiarity with the products and capacity of our soil, we were, nevertheless, surprised at the size and quality of many of the samples, and are more firmly convinced that in the near

future what is now considered to be our maximum average of crops will be reduced to the minimum.

of yield

The Executive Committee are pleased to note an increased interest in the horticultural industry of the State, which is clearly manifested by the large attendance and increased membership of the State Horticultural Society, and the desire of farmers generally to obtain a knowledge of horticultural subjects; it is a poor farmer that refuses to provide liberally of fruits for his family and flowers for the adornment of his home. The reports of this society are full of instructive points, both to the professional and amateur, and we recommend them to your favor. The location of our State, the character and adaptability of our soil and proximity to markets, thus avoiding long delays in transportation, render it particularly favorable to the cultivation of fruits and flowers in all their varieties; much of the hitherto unproductive soil in the southern sections of the State are found to produce splendid crops of fruits and berries, as will more fully appear in the reports from the counties in that section. With these indisputable facts placed so intelligently before them, the legislators of our State will be justified in extending a helping hand to institutions of this character.

Among the questions that the Executive Committee has been requested to call your attention to, those seemingly of the most importance are the depredations of the English sparrow and the acts of trespass now indulged in by hunters with dog and gun, and would recommend such action as in your judgment their importance deserve.

In accordance with the act of the Legislature, re-organizing the State Board of Agriculture, we have assigned the term of delegates from the different counties as follows, viz.: Delegates from Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Sussex and Union counties for the term of one year; those from Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset and Warren, for the full term of two years.

By referring to the law it will be ascertained that such assignments are necessary in order to have one-half the delegates elected yearly, and in counties electing under this apportionment the terms of delegates will be for the full term of two years.

We flatter ourselves in presenting the annual programme, that it will meet your approval, and earnestly desire that you will avail

yourselves of the opportunity presented to ask such questions of a practical application as will tend to bring forth additional information on these subjects. We also direct your attention to the reports from the different County Boards and other societies that may be presented, and especially to any suggestions or recommendations of general importance that may be offered for your consideration; and all present who are interested in these subjects are cordially invited to participate in their discussion.

WILLIAM S. TAYLOR,

Chairman.

The Chair remarked that this report was one of more than ordinary importance, and one of the greatest interest to this State.

He also said: In this connection I would state that there is probably no other State with so much waste land as the little State of New Jersey. This land was apparently irreclaimable, in the opinions of the majority of people, and it is only lately that our people are beginning to find out the value of some portions of it.

In the southern portion of the State, small fruits, especially strawberries, are beginning to be raised in large quantities on this land which has been heretofore considered of no value whatever.

Small vegetables and garden products are also beginning to be raised where formerly nothing grew.

I trust the attention of farmers may soon be called to these facts, and that they may begin to realize the immense amount of waste land now lying idle in the southern portions of our State.

There is a town or village called Hammonton, about thirty miles below Philadelphia, which, but a few years since, was nothing but a barren place. There was nothing there but sand-white sand-nothing at all growing, not even a blade of grass.

This land has much of it been taken up, and by judicious management, putting on a little muck and some fertilizers, they have succeeded in raising the very finest small fruits, especially strawberries, not only in small quantities, but by the bushel-yes, by the tons. Why, no less than four car-loads of strawberries alone have been shipped from there in a single day, besides large quantities of other fruit and produce in season.

I merely mention this fact as an illustration of what may be done

with this land. This will show to what extent this cultivation may be brought in the southern parts of our State.

The members of this association should, in my judgment, take some more effective steps than have yet been taken towards securing more power to the members as a body. As their powers are now, they are entirely too contracted and narrow. The association, in order to be useful, should bring in a larger number of the farmers of our State than are now with us. I hope steps will be taken at this meeting, before we think of adjourning, towards securing some proper and effective legislation to give the association a wider and larger scope than it now has.

The Chair. There is a gentleman here who has just returned from a visit to the New Orleans Exposition. The report of the Executive Committee calls your attention to the very creditable exhibit sent from this city for the State Exhibit of New Jersey.

I have no doubt the gentleman referred to will be able to give you some very pleasing information in regard to it, as well as in regard to other points of interest in connection with the Exposition at New Orleans, and also with the journey between here and that place. I call upon Judge Parry, of Cinnaminson, N. J., to give us some account of the New Orleans Exposition.

Judge Parry. Before going to the New Orleans Exposition, I must say I was somewhat prejudiced as to the character of the institution. It was represented to me, in fact, as being of no account whatever, and very much below the average of such exhibitions.

When we arrived there, I am glad to say that we found everything beyond our expectations, and, though the exhibits were not all placed, I found them making rapid progress, and before I left there I had changed my mind and could not but pronounce it a very grand and important affair. I have prepared a short paper, which I will read, giving my experience. [This paper will be found in the body of this report.]

In connection with his remarks on the placing of the New Jersey State exhibit, he said: There is a great deal in properly placing an exhibit of this kind so that it may be seen by every one, without their having to hunt for it. New Jersey had three large signs so conspicuously placed that every one could read them and see where our exhibit was, if they came anywhere near it. No one could come anywhere near it.