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The institution has now been in operation some sixteen months.

It has 88 inmates and several others are now expected whose applications for admission have been acted upon favorably.

They are all so simple-minded as to be liable to be led astray, if left unprotected in families or in the county poor houses. In fact quite a number of them had already been mothers of illegitimate children and their offspring are now increasing the number of paupers in the State.

They may he divided into two classes. The first, such as are so deficient in intelligence and helpless as to require a care even of their personal wants. These are not only unable to contribute to their own support but need, and will always need, a good deal of care at the hands of their guardians.

The other class are such as have a latent capacity for simple industrial occupations. With patient training, they can learn a variety of household occupations and become habituated to regular and efficient service. They can be taught to make themselves useful in the daily care of their more helpless companions, and in which they often take great pleasure.

As might have been expected, in view of the surroundings from which they came and the lives of idleness and neglect which they had previously led, they were not a hopeful-looking set, either in appearance or conduct. The most marked feature of the class was incapacity; a born sluggishness that had been allowed to settle into a state of complete and habitual unproductiveness.

The organization of the working force of the new establishment was planned to meet these conditions. There is first a nursery department for the more helpless ones.

Then each department of household occupation is a training- school for the cases, who are allotted to each as assistants in the necessary work of the institution. From time to time changes are made so that the more capable ones have an opportunity of learning a variety of occupation.

In addition, there is a school for developing the perceptive faculties and that degree of intelligence essential even for customary household duties. The pupils are not only taught some of the elementary exercises of an ordinary school-room, but instruction is given in the details of some of the more common forms of household work. They learn to sew and knit and to use a sewing-machine.

Under this general system, already so much capacity has been brought out, in the inmate, that one may see that the number of cases might be gradually increased to two or three times the present number without much increase in the paid working force of the establishment.

There has also been a marked improvement in the appearance of the inmates-in their habits and conduct. They are more orderly and quiet besides being more intelligent.

Stupid and undisciplined as they were on admission, their immediate guardians already see good cause for faith in the ultimate objects of the institution. In fact there is a growing interest, on the part of the employees of the establishment, in the work in which they are engaged.

From the outset there has been but one death among the inmates, and that in the case of a very feeble girl.

The site is evidently heathly -sic- and the general management by the superintendent, in the matters of diet and regimen, judicious, as is seen not only in the generally healthful look of the inmates, but in the fact that the services of a physician have been required but in three cases, with a total of five medical visits, for more than a year.

The supply of water has been inadequate; in part owing to the prevailing drought of the past summer. But a new cistern of large size has lately been constructed. Doubtless another spring it will be advisable to make, at least, temporary provision for a better water supply.

When the building was originally hired, the terms were that your committee should have a two years' occupancy, in consideration of the money expended in fitting it up for the special purpose, and the outlay for the new laundry and fences.

There was also added the privilege of purchase, at the end of two year, at a stated price.

In the judgement of your committee it will not be advisable to purchase this or any other property, or to make any permanent provision in the way of buildings till more time has been taken to test the question, as to the need or value of such custodial Asylum for idiotic adult females.

From their observation thus far it seems to have been quite successful, in doing its peculiar work. Of the need of some such Asylum they feel assured, from their knowledge of the prior history of some of the inmates. There is no doubt that in many of the county poorhouses of the State a rigid separation of the sexes is not maintained. That, not infrequently, the pauper population of the State in increased by the offspring of idiot females.

Not questioning then the need or value of the new Asylum, they are of opinion that another year in its experimental stage will work no harm. The public appreciation of the need of such an institution will be more distinctly felt. The mode of meeting the evil it was designed to meet, in the best and most economical manner, will be more clearly defined. The limitations as to the admission of cases will be better understood. The form of buildings, the kind of appliances and the mode of organization to meet the needs of the class can be more wisely determined. And finally, the probable cost of maintenance of its inmates can he better estimated.