8. Since the collections were put up, numerous paintings and geological sections have been placed in the rooms, which exhibit some of the remarkable features of districts of country not often visited. The geological sections serve to explain more clearly the structure and arrangement of the rocks of the state. These will be still farther increased; and to them will a'so be added general and local maps, colored according to the rock formations. Many and various objects therefore are answered by the collections. Scarcely any subject of inquiry can come up which is not directly or indirectly illustrated by this museum of natural history. 9. The suites of specimens collected for the literary and scientific institutions of the State, have been packed and forwarded to the five incorporated colleges, viz: Columbia College, and the University of New-York, in New York city; Union College, at Schenectady; Geneva College, at Geneva; Hamilton College, at Clinton. This collection is to be considered as a nucleus around which a much more extensive one will aggregate; and we believe that when it shall be known that it is a safe depository for valuable specimens, all the friends of science will be willing to contribute in various ways to its increase. Hence, if the various objects are properly managed and encouraged, this collection may be made to rival the National Institute at Washington, the British Museum, in London, or the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. It will be a centre, around which will circle our agricultural societies, and mechanic and scientific associations, all of whose objects are almost identical, viz: the dissemination of physical truth and knowledge. The Rooms are open to the public, daily, free of charge, in the Old State Hall, corner of State and Lodge-streets, Albany. This Society was organized at an Agricultural State Convention, in Albany, in February, 1832, and the same year was incorporated. Until 1840, its proceedings, embracing many valuable papers on American husbandry, were published in "The Cultivator," a paper established by the Society, and placed in charge of the late Judge Buel, as conductor. At its annual meeting, in 1841, the society determined to make a more vigorous effort to prosecute its objects, and appointed a committee to apply to the Legislature for aid ; whereupon that body appropriated $8,000 annually for five years. The sum was apportioned among the counties as follows, but was not to be paid until the respective societies should raise an equal sum by voluntary subscription. Cattaraugus, 86 Lewis,.. 53 Saratoga, 121 Cayuga, 151 Livingston,. 117 Schenectady, 51 Chautauque, 143 Madison,, 120 Schoharie, 97 62 Monroe, 122 Montgomery.... 194 Seneca 74 Clinton, 84 New York to Am. St. Lawrence, 170 Columbia,.. 133 Institute, 950 Suffolk, 97 Cortland 75 Niagara, 93 Sullivan,. 47 Delaware, 106 Oneida,. 255 Tioga,. 61 Dutchess, 157 Onondaga, 204 Tompkins,. 114 Erie, 186 Ontario, 130 Ulster, 137 Essex,. 71 Orange, 152 Warren, 40 Franklin, 50 Orleans, 75 Washington, 123 Fulton and Ham. Oswego,. 131 Wayne,. 1:6 ilton, 60 Otsego, 148 Westchester, 146 38 Yates, 61 91 N.Y.S.Ag.Society 700 With this aid, the Society, which had struggled for several years for existence, at once rose in public favor. Its first Fair was held at Syra. cuse, in the Autumn of 1841, and was well attendel. Its second Fair was held at Albany, September, 1842, at which there was a more extensive exhibition of improved farm stock, implements of husbandry, &c., than was ever before made in this country on a similar occasion. The third Fair was held at Rochester, in September, 1843; the fourth Fair was held at Poughkeepsie, in September, 1844, and the Fair for 1845 will be held at Uitca, September 16, 17, and 18., The officers of this society, for 1845, are as follow: B, P. Johnson, of Oneida, President. James Lenox, of New-York, Thomas L. Davies, of Dutchess, Geo. W. Patterson, of Chatauque, Luther Tucker, of Albany, Recording Secretary, ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.-T. S. Faxon, of Utica; E. Kirby, of Brownville; Alexander Walsh of Lansingburgh; George Vail, of Troy; J. M. D. McIntyre, of Albany. NEW-YORK STATE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. This society was organized April 2d, 1829. The receipts and disburse. ments of the society, since its organization up to February 1st, 1843, amounted to $160,159.36. The following named gentlemen are the present officers of this society. Hon. John Savage, Washington Co., President. S. W. Dana, E. C. Delavan, 66 Executive Committee. Troy, Ballston Centre, Archibald Campbell, Treasurer. Otis Allen, Recording Secretary, Oliver Scovill, Corresponding Secretary. Office, 81 State-street, Albany. STATE INSTITUTIONS. STATE LUNATIC ASYLUM. [Situated one mile west of the city of Utica.] This institution was founded by an act of the Legislature, passed March 30, 1836. The work was commenced in the spring of 1838, when the foundations were laid according to a plan contemplating the erection of four buildings, each of five hundred and fifty feet front, placed at right angles to each other, facing outwards. They were to be connected at the angles by verandahs of open lattice work, and each building was to be three stories high exclusive of a basement and attic. The surface enclosed by the foundations measured thirteen and a half acres, of which the buildings were to cover two and a half acres. The whole grounds include a productive farm of about 130 acres. One of the above buildings was finished according to the above plan in 1842. It is of the Grecian Doric order of architecture, and is constructed of a dark grey limestone, quarried at Trenton about eleven miles distant from Utica. This edifice was ready for the reception of patients in Janua ry, 1843, and was opened on the 16th of that month. It will accommo date about 300 of them. The establishment is supplied with water from a large well, dug for the purpose on the premises, and fitted with a force-pump, worked by horsepower, which raises the water to a spacious reservoir in the attic of the centre segment of the edifice, from which it is distributed by pipes whither. soever it is required. The pump can be worked also by hand. The well is 34 feet deep, by 16 feet in diameter, for the first 28 feet, and 8 feet from that point to the bottom. The pump tube is of iron, with a two inch bore, and carries the water from the well to the reservoir, a distance of 450 feet. The building is warmed by furnaces in the basement, and the heat is transmitted by flues. The cooking, washing, and kitchen work is all performed by what is called a cooking range and boilers connected with it. The salary of the Superintendent is $2,000; and the institution is fortu. nate in having been able to secure for that post a man so eminently quali. fied for its difficult, delicate, and responsible functions as Dr. Brigham. The salary of the Assistant, the Treasurer, and the Steward is $500 to each, and of the Matron $200. The use to which the Asylum farm will be put, beyond the keeping of such swine as may be fed by the offal of the establishment, and the few horses and oxen needed for service, will be chiefly the grazing of cows, to supply milk, which will constitute a principal article of diet, and a large supply of which, will, therefore be required. An extensive garden for esculent vegetables, fruit, &c., will also be cultivated; and the care of this, and of the farm, will furnish ample opportunity for that moderate and cheerful labor, which forms so important a portion of the curative treat. ment at such institutions. Mechanical employments will also constitute a part of the system. According to the United States census of 1840, the whole number of lunatics and idiots in this State was 2,340, of whom 739 were at public charge. This would give, on the whole population of 2,428,921, one lunatic or idiot to every 1,038 persons. But the Secretary of State, in 1841, reported 803 lunatics at the public charge. The highest number of both lunatics and idiots, above stated, however, is undoubtedly much below the truth. From fuller data, derived from other sources, the whole number of luna. tics in the State cannot probably be less than 1,250, and of idiots about 1,500. The legal quota of patients receivable from the respective counties is proportioned to the whole number of the insane therein; and to determine these points, the law directs the town and ward assessors to ascertain such number, every year, and send lists thereof to the County Clerks to be transmitted to the Treasurer of the Asylum. But this important duty has been so neglected that the Managers have not yet been enabled to fix the County quotas. Patients are sent to the Asylum by several authorities. The Overseers and Superintendents of the poor send insane paupers and such as would be dangerous if left at large, on their being apprehended under a Justice's warrant; the First Judge of a county sends such as are indigent but not paupers; and those who are in confinement for crime or have been acquit ted on the ground of insanity, are sent by the Courts. In the three for. mer cases, however, formal examinations, embracing the testimony of at least two respectable physicians, as to the fact of insanity, with other suitable evidence of the fact of indigence, are required, and the whole proceedings must be reduced to writing, filed in the County Clerk's Office, and duly certified under the county seal. OFFICERS. These, as given in the Annual Report dated January 25, 1845, are as follow: Managers.-Thomas H. Hubbard, Nicholas Devereux, Alfred Munson, Charles B. Coventry, Charles A. Mann, all of Utica; Jacob Sutherland, of Geneva; T. Romeyn Beck, of Albany; David Buel, Jr,of Troy; and James S. Wadsworth, of Geneseo. Resident Officers.-Amariah Brigham, M. D., Superintendent and Phy. sician; Horace A. Buttolph, M. D., Assistant Physician; Cyrus Chatfield. Steward; Mrs. Chatfield, Matron. Treasurer, Edmond A. Wetmore, of Utica. The Annual Report brings the affairs of the institution down to Nov. 30, 1844, the close of the last Asylum year. To that day, from the opening of the Asylum on the 16th of January, 1843-1 year 104 months551 patients had been admitted, 329 being from 54 of the 59 counties of this State, at county or town charge, and 222 at private charge. The latter were mostly of this State, though a very few peculiar cases from other States were received when there was room. During the above reriod 291 were discharged; 185 of them as being recovered, 61 as improved, 22 unimproved, and 23 dead; leaving 260 in Asylum at the close of the period. The number of patients and the results of treatment for the year ending November 30, 1844, (the first entire year,) are shown in the annexed table. The Annual report of the Superintendent furnishes many interesting facts among which are the following: Of the whole 551 patients of both sexes, 120 became insane from 20 to 25 years of age; 95 from 25 to 30 years; 58 from 30 to 35 years and 77 from 35 to 40 years. The whole number under 20 years was 82. Of the males, 280 in all, 116 were farmers, 40 laborers, 20 merchants, 16 students, 13 clerks, 11 shoemakers, 10 joiners, 6 attornies, 6 physicians, 5 teachers, 3 clergymen, and of other callings, one and two each. Of the 271 females, 225 were employed in housework; 21 were tailoresses, or milliners; 17 school girls; 7 teachers; and 1 factory girl. Of the whole 551, the married were 270; the single 255; widows 17; widowers 9. A table of" supposed causes," of insanity in the whole 551 cases, is given, not as being rigidly accurate, but as the nearest approximation practicable, from the information obtained. Some of the leading causes are as follow: |