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dee, for a fly-perch, a premium, $0.25. Edwin Wheeler, for two chair-tidies, he being an invalid and unable to do severe labor, the committee notice as worthy of a premium, $0.50.

The attention of the committee was called to an exhibition of portable umbrellas, by Messrs. Morris, Perry, Richardson and Seymour, recently patented by them. They were very ingenious, and combined elegance with convenience and utility. The handle and ribs were so constructed with joints, as to admit of being folded into the dimensions of a trunk, or traveling bag of ordinary size, and possessing, when expanded for use by means of springs attached to the ribs, all the firmness and durability of the best constructed and most elegant silk umbrella-thus affording to travelers the desideratum of an umbrella always at hand and ready for use, without the trouble of keeping it constantly at the side, or being exposed to the liability of being left at every stopping place, or taken by the first traveler whose necessities require it, under the old impression that it belongs to a species of property, "but yet common." As this was a patent obtained in our county, for an article of great utility and convenience, the committee award a discretionary premium of $2.

There were also in the room, but not exhibited for premiums, specimens of clocks, made by Coe & Co., New Haven, with papier mache stands, enameled faces, and covered with a glass shade, being very cheap, and in good taste, and well deserving of patronage. They were not entered for premium, but merely to exhibit the taste and ingenuity of the inventor, S. N. Botsford, Esq., late of this town, to whom they were very creditable.

All of which is submitted.

J. G. BECKWITH, Chairman.

GREENWOODS

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

A FEW friends of American industry in the northern part of Litchfield county, met on the 14th day of February, 1844, and organized the Greenwoods Agricultural Society. The object of this Society, as set forth in its preamble, is to encourage agriculture, manufactures and the arts.

Having no funds at that time, they were unable to offer premiums, but hoped the reported merits of the articles offered for exhibition, would be a sufficient encouragement for the farmers to bring forward their stock and produce, artisans their wares, and ladies their household and fancy articles.

For a year or two, this hope was gratified, but there was eventually, a decrease in the number of articles offered, and the attendance at the annual Fairs was smaller. It was found difficult to raise money enough to pay the small current expenses of the Society, and it continued to grow "small by degrees, and beautifully less," until 1851, when there was a petition to the General Assembly for a charter, which was obtained. An appropriation from the state treasury was granted on condition the Society would raise by tax or other wise, a sum not less than one hundred dollars, which has been done without difficulty.

The Society has since increased yearly in members and in the attractions of its fair, as well as in the amount of money raised and awarded in premiums. The amount of money awarded the present year, exceeds former years, nearly one hundred and fifty dollars. The Greenwoods Agricultu

ral Society is now on a firm basis, and in a prosperous condition.

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MIDDLESEX

COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

THIS Society was organized in the year 1840, with a constitution and by-laws, similar to those which govern it now, its object being, as declared in the second article of the constitution, to promote agriculture, domestic manufactures, and the mechanic arts.

The first record on the Society's books is the following: "At a meeting of farmers, held in the town-hall in the city of Middletown, on the fourth Monday of August, A. D. 1840, pursuant to public notice given by the treasurer of the county of Middlesex, as required by the act, entitled 'An Act in relation to Agricultural Societies.'

"William C. Bull, Esq., of Saybrook, was appointed chairman, and Thomas G. Mather, Esq., of Middletown, secretary."

At this meeting, the business of drafting a constitution and by-laws was intrusted to a committee composed of Ebenezer Jackson, Samuel D. Hubbard, Thomas G. Mather, Middletown; Joseph Hall, Chatham; Wedworth Wadsworth, Jr., Durham; Ely Warner, Chester; William C. Bull, Saybrook ; Ely A. Elliot, Clinton.

The constitution and by-laws were printed in pamphlet form in 1843, with a list of the members, numbering nearly three hundred, of whom two hundred and twenty-eight were from Middletown.

There have been fifteen annual meetings of the Society since its formation, and twenty-two special or adjourned meetings.

The improvement in agriculture, horticulture and stock. breeding in Middletown and vicinity during the past fifteen years, has been wonderful. We say Middletown, not that we would claim that its advances have been greater than other parts of the county, but because we are better acquainted with its progress.

Much of this improvement has undoubtedly been effected by the beneficial influence of the Society. However, this is not the place to speak further of the good arising from such associations, statistics being, as we suppose, the staple ma. terial wanted for this volume; yet we shall be pardoned, we think, for quoting a single sentence from the pen of Linus Coe, Esq., for many years the more than efficient secretary: "The great excellence of the institution consists in ELICITING and DISSEMINATING FACTS and INFORMATION, resulting from JUDICIOUS COMPARISONS and EXPERIMENTS, which, though not literally tangible in dollars and cents, are nevertheless of countless value, in the sure and constant advancement of individual and general prosperity and happiness."

In April, 1841, Dr. Joseph Barratt, of Middletown, and Ely Warner, Esq., of Chester, were appointed a committee of inquiry, to report at a future meeting, "Whether the laws of nature, in crossing the breeds of animals so as to produce improved offspring, apply to the vegetable kingdom, and whether the interests of agriculture require the artificial hybridizing of vegetables?" This resulted in a very interesting paper by Mr. Warner, which was published in the Middletown papers.

In December, 1842, the Hon. Ebenezer Jackson, William J. Trench and Asa Hubbard, Esqs., were appointed a committee to take into consideration the expediency of forming a State Agricultural Society, and report thereon at a future meeting. At this meeting, another committee was appointed to take into consideration the expediency of establishing an Agricultural School.

In 1843, several members of the Society, under its sanction, associated themselves for the purpose of discussing matters relating to agriculture, &c. Prof. Johnson, of the

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