is very general throughout the State that the duties of the Department have not hitherto been discharged with proper efficiency, and your attention is invited to a careful consideration of the subject.

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.

The Report of the Trustees of the Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, shows that 57 pupils have enjoyed the benefits of that Institution during the past year. The attention of the Legislature is invited to the Report in detail, showing the expenditures of the past year, and the amount asked for during the present year. There must have been some misunderstanding in the Legislature of last year in regard to the condition of the buildings of this Institution; the Act approved March 5th making an appropriation of $15,000 "for the pur'pose of putting up and finishing off the main or centre building," while by the present Report the Trustees ask for the sum of $21,500 for the same purpose, before the building can be ready for the reception of pupils. In the present financial condition of the State, it is for you to decide, after a sufficient examination of the subject, whether it is expedient to make such appropriation. The Institution appears to be under good management, and to be conferring great blessings upon an unfortu nate class of persons, who deserve our warmest sympathy.The amount asked for the support of the Institution is about the same as last year.

The Report of the Trustees of the Institute for the Blind shows that 20 pupils were in attendance during the last session, and that the condition of the buildings is such that a large increase of pupils may be soon accommodated. No estimates of appropriations for the present year are submitted with the Report, the Trustees leaving that duty to be performed through the annual visiting committee of the Legislature. The Report speaks very encouragingly of the progress of the pupils in the acquisition of various branches of knowledge, and the Institu tion seems to be in a flourishing condition, so far as its means of accommodating pupils will admit.

The first Report of the Commissioners of the State Hospital for the Insane, exhibits the progress of that very important un

dertaking, down to the 1st of October, 1857. The Commissioners have adopted the location near Madison, upon which a building for the same purpose was formerly commenced, and have let the contract to responsible parties for $73,000 for a building which will accommodate 75 patients, and they expect to be able to let the contracts for the various heating, cooking, and other apparatus, at a sum which will bring the cost of the edifice necessary for that number of patients, within the aggregate of $100,000. Their suggestions in relation to building operations are commended to your attention. So far as is consistent with just economy in the expenditures of the State, this and the kindred Institutions for the instruction, comfort, wellbeing, and cure of the unfortunate, should be liberally provi ded for, and brought to the highest condition of efficiency as soon as is practicable.

Commissioners were appointed by my predecessor, according to law, to locate and provide for the erection of a House of Refuge for juvenile offenders. Their report, containing matter of much interest, and much valuable information upon this subject, will be laid before you. The institution has been located in the County of Waukesha, at a very eligible and convenient point for public convenience. The benevolent, object of insti tutions of the kind commends them strongly to public patronage. It is to become a reform school, to reclaim and save a large class of youth from irretrievable ruin. The system adopted is one well devised for the objects and is entitled to favor. The plans adopted for the building seem to be admirably calculated for the purpose. The building can be completed as fast as public necessity requires. Each part will be perfect in itself to accommodate a limited number. The commissioners are able, experienced, and energetic men. A small additional appropriation will be necessary to enable the commissioners to carry out the designs of the Legislature.

THE STATE UNIVERSITY.

The Report of the Regents of the University exhibits the condition of that Institution during and up to the close of the last fiscal year. The number of students in attendance during the year was 164, of whom 41 were in the former Collegiate

classes. The gradually increasing productive fund amounted on the 1st of October, to $315,953.46, giving an annual income of $22,116.74. With the increase of the means to be devoted to the educational department, the various chairs appropriate and necessary to the establishment of a University which should bear the name, as distinguished from the many Colleges scattered throughout the land, have been and will continue to be filled. The new edifice of the Institution, which is now in progress of construction, will add greatly to its facilities for carrying out the purposes of the munificent grant by Congress. The State has accepted the trust, and the Representatives of the people will doubtless feel it to be a pleasure to aid the efforts of those who have the more immediate duty of discharging that trust.

STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The report of the Executive Committee of the State Historical Society, Jan. I. 1858, shows a library of over four thous and volumes, and over four thousand unbound documents and pamphlets, together with a large number of unbound newspaper files, carefully preserved. The Society has a valuable collection of about 40 oil paintings, the most of which are portraits of Wisconsin Pioneers, and prominent public men, and some are of persons of national celebrity-those of Dr. Kane and Dr. Percival being among the additions of the past year. It has besides some curious additions to its cabinet, rare old maps and several hundred manuscripts. Under the patronage of the State, the society has issued during the past year its best annual volume. Since the organization of the Society in January, 1854, it has met with unusual success -the increase of the library alone having averaged over one thousand volumes annually. The year past appears to have exhibited as much prosperity as any year preceeding, and its influence abroad is giving, in many respects, increasing honor and credit to the State. It is worthy of the patronage of the State, and every reasonable facility should be furnished by the Legislature for its substantial prosperity. The officers of the

Society are entitled to great credit, for their enterprise and efficiency, and deserve encouragement.

Under our present financial embarrassments, it becomes, however, a question for your consideration, whether it is prudent to incur the expense of publishing its volume for the year 1858, until the present debts of the State are paid. The materials for the next volume will not be lost, nor the Society injured, by the delay of a single year, in case such delay is considered expedient.

AGRICULTURE.

The statistics presented in the report of the Secretary of State, as the result of the inquiries of the assessors under the law of the last session, exhibit an interesting view of the growth of the State in agricultural, manufacturing and mineral wealth. It is to be regretted that quite a number of the counties of the State have made no returns, so that the aggregates are not as great as they should have been. Among the counties thus delinquent were Adams, Bad Ax, La Crosse, Marathon, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Pierce, Portage, Sauk, and Waupacca, besides several of the more lately organized counties, whose returns would have increased the aggregates much.

So far as returned, the principal items of production in the year 1856, were as follows:

The county of Grant not being returned, with its large mineral interest, the last item gives but an imperfect idea of the amount of lead raised in the State.

Upon the prosperity of our agricultural interest depends the substantial prosperity of the State. The State Agricultural Society, and the large number of County Agricultural Societies already formed, are working great changes in public opinion, as to the importance of the farming interest. More adequate provision should be made for thorough education in scientific and practical agriculture. Many states are now moving upon this question, and are founding agricultural colleges and experimental farms, and are memorializing Congress for donations of public lands, to endow and sustain them. Michigan, Ohio and New York petition for five hundred thou sand acres each, for themselves, and ask in addition that the same amount be granted to each of the agricultural states. A bill has been introduced in Congress for an appropriation of six millions of acres for this purpose to the different states. The memorial of the Board of Education of the State of Michigan, and of the faculty of the Agricultural College, on that subject, is so apt that I quote from it. They represent that the course of study in that institution is "insepara bly connected with a system of labor in the institution; that it is its design and policy to afford ample and thorough education of the student physically, morally and intellectually; to ennoble the calling of agriculture, and teach men to increase the productions of the earth." They further represent, "that in a country so thoroughly agricultural as the United States, and contemplating the nature of the great trust of the public lands with an enlightened and comprehensive forecast, no more legitimate and no wiser disposition can be made of limited portions of them, than for instruction of men in multiplying the productions of the earth, and thus conducing to their comfort, prosperity and higher civilization." I recommend that you join in memorializing Congress for the grant of lands to the different states, for the purpose of establishing in this State an Agricultural College,upon a permanent basis. Our State and County Agricultural Societies have been wisely established, and their affairs ably and prudently