IBID, § 16-16. All agricultural societies in this State, established under the act above cited, and that have failed to keep up their organization, as required by the law approved November 23, 1855, are hereby authorized and empowered to pursue the objects of such societies and perpetuate their organizations as though no failure to observe the law had occurred.

BY-LAWS.

SECTION 1. The officers of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture shall consist of a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.

SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the meetings of the Board, to sign all warrants on the Treasurer ordered by the Board, and to perform such other duties as are or may be required by law. He shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Executive Committee. In his absence, the Vice President shall perform his duties.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep and preserve the minutes and records of the Board and the proceedings of the Executive Committee, to furnish a copy of the same for publication previous to the expiration of his term of service, and to countersign all warrants on the treasurer for money.

SEC. 4. The Treasurer shall keep the funds of the Board and pay all warrants drawn by order of the Board, signed by the President and countersigned by the Secretary, and shall make his report at the annual meeting in December of his receipts and expenditures; from whence received and to whom paid, properly arranged for publication. He shall give bond in such penal sum as may be required by the Board for the faithful performance of his duties and the payment of all moneys in his hands. SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to conduct all correspondence with societies and individuals; to issue such circulars for obtaining statistics or other information as the Board may direct, or as may be deemed expedient or useful; to collate and arrange the correspondence, proceedings of the Board, and the proceedings of the county societies for report and publication as required by law, and distribute to county societies and others entitled to them, all seeds, plants, publications, etc., which may be acquired by the Board for distribution. His term of office shall hereafter commence the first day of February, and continue one year and until his successor is elected.

SEC. 6. The annual election for officers of the Board shall be held as early as possible after the adjournment of the annual December meeting. The officers then elected, except the Secretary, shall hold office from the first of January following and until their successors are elected.

SEC. 7. The President, Vice President and Secretary shall constitute an Executive Committee, whose duty shall be to inspect and audit all accounts, and to perform such other duties as may be required of them in the intervals between the meetings of the Board.

SEC. 8. The necessary expenses of the officers and corporate members in attending meetings of the Board shall be paid out of the treasury.

SEC. 9. The President shall have authority to call special meetings of the Board whenever he may deem it necessary or important to do so.

SEC. 10. Five of the corporate members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum at all meetings except the annual meetings.

SEC. 11. These by-laws may be altered or amended at any time by a majority of the members present and voting: Provided, That any member proposing to amend the by-laws at any meeting of the Board, shall give two weeks notice prior to said meeting to all the incorporate members or their successors in office, of such intended motion to amend.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE,

AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING IN DECEMBER, 1876.

REPORT.

FIRST DAY.

OFFICE OF MISSOURI STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE,
December 6, 1876.

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In accordance with the provisions of law, the State Board of Agriculture met on the first Wednesday of December, 1876.

Present-John W. Harris, President; Norman J. Colman, Luman A. Brown, Josiah Tilden, William Stark, J. L. McCullough, D. L. Hall, and Hon. R. D. Shannon, State Superintendent of Public Schools, member ex-officio.

On motion of Mr. Brown, the reading of the minutes of the last meeting was dispensed with.

On motion of Mr. McCullough, a Committee on Order of Business, consisting of three members was appointed, viz.: Messrs. McCullough, Dr. Shannon and Gov. Colman.

The following letter from Gov. Hardin was read and ordered to be spread upon the minutes:

STATE OF MISSOURI, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
CITY OF JEFFERSON, December 4, 1876.

JOHN MONTEITH, Esq., Secretary, etc.:

DEAR SIR: Owing to press of official business, I will not be able to attend the agricultural meeting, and regret that I cannot do so. The Society must excuse me, and you will please withdraw my name from the programme.

Your proceedings, if any, in regard to the Locust question will be read with interest by all.

Very respectfully,

C. H. HARDIN.

On motion of Mr. Hall, a Committee of three on Credentials of those representing agricultural societies, was appointed.

The President appointed Messrs. Hall, Brown and Stark.
The Board took a recess, to give the committees time to report.

On the call to order, the following report was made by the Committee on Order of Business:

MR. PRESIDENT: Your Committee on Order of Business would beg leave to report, and most respectfully suggest that the programme of exercises, arranged by the Executive Committee, be adopted as the order of business of the present ses