In 1814 the legislature appropriated to the society $1,000 annually for printing and circulating the publications on agriculture, the raising of seeds and plants, and agricultural experiments, and in 1816 gave an additional $500 for premiums at cattle shows.

In 1801 the society undertook the establishment of a professorship of natural history and a botanic garden at Harvard College. This was done in 1804-5. The plan for this garden "provided for scientific observation of the growth of vegetation and of the habits of noxious insects, that methods might be devised for their destruction, and a cultivation, for sale and distribution, of the seeds and roots of useful plants." The cooperation of the society and college continued for 25 years, when the annual grant which had been made by the State, in aid of this part of the society's work, ceased (186).

The following estimate of the success of this society during its first quarter of a century is made in its centennial volume, page 41:

Beginning with conditions of general apathy, of more or less prevalent distrust as to its intentions, and of incredulity that anything important could be gained to the farming interest, it had created a feeling of confidence as to the future of the agricultural industry and excited a spirit of inquiry. It had widely distributed thousands of pages of printed matter, supplying the best information then obtainable relating to the art; given impetus to the formation of numerous coworking societies, and printed the essays and contributed to the premiums of some of the more important among them; it had introduced new seeds and plants and choice breeds of farm animals from foreign lands; brought new modes of farming into acceptance among leading farmers in different parts of the State, thereby exerting an exemplary influence upon others who gave to books and pamphlets no welcome; it had set fairly at work the inventive faculty of the land in devising better farming apparatus; enlisted science to search and experiment in the behest of agriculture; and, by its successful cattle show, had reached the popular heart (which is always responsive in beholding the novel and the extraordinary), thereby entering upon a radically different but most effective method of diffusing agricultural knowledge, the method of “object teaching" (183).

ELKANAH WATSON AND THE CATTLE SHOW

The idea of the "cattle show" as a distinctively American institution with an educational purpose was suggested to Elkanah Watson (1758-1842) (fig. 2) in 1807 after he had exhibited two Merino sheep "under the great elm tree in the public square in Pittsfield," Mass. (325). He had been a prominent citizen of Albany, N. Y., where he was greatly interested in the promotion of the development of our country to the west by the building of canals, the establishment of stage routes, and the advancement of agriculture (326). In 1807 he had settled on a farm near Pittsfield. He became convinced that agricultural societies should be organized in the several counties on a more democratic basis to include "all the respectable farmers," and that means should be taken to popularize such a movement through cattle shows. On August 1, 1810, he issued "an appeal to the public," signed by himself and 28 other farmers, announcing the Berkshire cattle show, which was successfully held at Pittsfield, October 1, 1810.

BERKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

The following winter the Berkshire Agricultural Society was formed under the presidency of Watson, "with ample powers-but no funds," and on September 24, 1811, a more elaborate cattle show

was held, which was attended by three or four thousand people, and included a picturesque procession of members of the society (325). It then occurred to Watson that women ought to be included in this movement, and he therefore arranged for an exhibit of their handiwork, with premiums, on January 12, 1813. This was successful and the meeting was terminated with a ball at which "many farmers' daughters graced the floor." Returning to live at Albany in 1816,

Watson immediately promoted cattle shows in Otsego and Jefferson Counties, N. Y., which excited so much public attention that Governor Clinton recommended the establishment of a State board of agriculture to promote the organization of county agricultural societies. An act for this purpose was passed in 1819 and by the end of that year societies had been formed in all but six of the counties, with the aid of a pamphlet by Watson on the history of the Berkshire Agricultural

Society. He also carried on an extensive correspondence with societies. which were being formed in other States, including New England, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES IN CONNECTICUT

The Society for Promoting Agriculture in the State of Connecticut was organized August 12, 1794, at Wallingford by "a number of citizens from different towns in the State" (103). Its constitution stated that "the object of investigations for the society shall be agriculture, with such subjects of inquiry as may tend to explain its principles." Provision was made for reports from members on the state of agriculture in their localities, including experiments and discoveries; and for publications. A considerable list of queries on a variety of agricultural subjects was compiled and disseminated. Brief reports of experiments and observations on a number of these subjects were printed in the transactions. "Many experiments have been made by the members themselves, and their observation has extended to the improvements of their neighbors."

The records of the New Haven County Agricultural Society "show that in 1803, 'A Society for promoting Agriculture' was formed at New Haven, of which Gen. James Wadsworth was president until 1813." Later, President Dwight, of Yale College, David Humphreys, and Eli Whitney held this office.

In 1817 the Hartford County Agricultural Society was formed with Henry L. Ellsworth, afterwards United States Commissioner of Patents, as secretary. Societies in the other counties were organized later and in 1852 the Connecticut State Agricultural Society was formed under an act of the legislature passed that year.

EARLY SOCIETIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

The legislature of New Hampshire in 1814 granted a charter to an agricultural society in Rockingham County, with headquarters at Chester or Exeter. In 1817 there were county agricultural societies in Rockingham and Cheshire Counties, each of which received a State appropriation of $100. Similar societies were organized and chartered that year in Hillsborough (221) and Strafford Counties and soon thereafter in Grafton and Coos Counties. In 1819 and 1820 al' the counties had societies which held fairs and received State aid. Up to 1820 the annual appropriation to each society ranged from $100 to $300 and in all $3,000 had been expended by the State.

VIRGINIA'S GREAT AGRICULTURAL LEADERS AND EARLY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES

George Washington (1732-1799) as a farmer was not content to follow the ordinary farm routine which his neighbors practiced (384). He early determined to study and experiment with a view to improving agricultural conditions for himself and farmers generally. While he began with tobacco as his money crop, he changed to wheat and flour with special reference to trade with the West Indies and afterwards became largely engaged in growing forage crops and livestock.

He became a "book fariner," not only reading carefully such agricultural books as he could get, principally from abroad, but making detailed notes of some of them. This was particularly true of Tull's Horse Hoing Husbandry; Duhamel's A Practical Treatise of Husbandry; the Farmer's Compleat Guide; Home's The Gentleman Farmer; and Young's Annals of Agriculture (after 1784).

He carried on an extensive correspondence with men in England acquainted with improved farm practices and particularly with Arthur Young and Sir John Sinclair.

Beginning as early as 1760, he made many experiments on his Mount Vernon estate before and after the Revolutionary War. Among these were experiments in growing alfalfa, wheat, clover, timothy, and various other grasses and vegetables, and in the use of marl, gypsum, and salt as fertilizers. He was much interested in trying improved implements and himself devised a "barrel plough or drill. He grew many kinds of fruits, trees, and ornamental plants collected from various countries, maintained a conservatory and a small botanic garden, and had many experimental plats on various plantations.

His experience as a farmer and experimenter convinced him that improvement of agriculture was of such fundamental importance to the growth and prosperity of the United States that the public ought to share in the maintenance of agencies for this purpose. He therefore gladly associated with the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture as a beginning of effort in this direction.

The Society of Virginia for Promoting Agriculture.-As early as 1811 an organization called The Society of Virginia for Promoting Agriculture was formed at Richmond and in 1818 published a volume of memoirs (389). Its membership included many of the most eminent men of the State.

Among its presidents were John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and John Taylor, author of the collection of agricultural essays entitled "Arator."

The Albemarle Society.-The Albemarle Agricultural Society was organized May 5, 1817, under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, by 30 men from five counties (397). Ultimately Fairfax County and the Great Valley were also included in its membership. Its rules and regulations were based on a plan for agricultural societies drafted by Jefferson in 1811 (396). James Madison was its president from 1817 to 1824.

The society prospered, published many papers in the Richmond Enquirer, its official organ, conducted fairs and exhibitions with prizes for agricultural implements, livestock, and domestic manufactures, interested itself in the development of the University of Virginia, and endeavored to obtain funds for a professorship of agriculture in that institution. Its existence covered a period of over 30 years and until its place was taken by other organizations. Virginia State Agricultural Society. In the decade beginning with 1826 a number of agricultural societies were formed in Virginia, and between 1836 and 1850 efforts were made to establish a State agricultural society (400). Though this was authorized by the legislature in 1845, its creation was not effected until 1852, and then only through the strenuous activity of Edmund Ruffin (17941864) (fig. 3), widely known for his Essay on Calcareous Manures

and his editorship of the Farmers' Register (1833-1842) (390). This organization promptly got into active operation and held its first fair in 1853. At that time Ruffin wrote an essay on agricultural education for which the society gave him a prize (388).

EARLY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

The Society for Promoting Public Economy.-A temporary organization known as the Society for Promoting Public Economy was described by Ben: Perley Poore in the Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1866, as follows:

About 1806 an institution had been organized by "Members of Congress, officers of the Federal Government, and others, devoted to objects connected with public economy." Meetings were held at Mr. Harvey's, on Pennsylvania Avenue, every Saturday evening from 5 until 8 o'clock, and among the subjects considered were:

Our mechanical economy, or the means of abridging labor by useful inventions, implements, and apparatus.