State Agricultueal Society. 219 



articles on almost every subject connected with agriculture, such 

 as tillage, grasses, stock husbandry, horticulture, entomology, 

 household arts and in the earlier days silk culture was given a 

 prominent place. The first volume of the Transactions ap- 

 peared in 1841. Thereafter the Transactions were published an- 

 nually until and including the year 1871. Other volumes fol- 

 lowed in 1876, 1882 and 1886. During the next three years three 

 volumes were published in pamphlet form. Beginning with 1890 

 the proceedings of the society were published under the title of 

 Annual Reports. Of these nine volumes have appeared. The 

 later volumes have given quite extensive reports of contemporary 

 agricultural and kindred societies in New York State, and since 

 1893 have been largely devoted to farmers' institute work. 



Indeed this farmers' institute movement was started and for 

 several years carried on by the State Agricultural Society, 

 though now under the State Agricultural Department. Through 

 the efforts of Professor I. P. Roberts of Cornell University and 

 J. S. Woodward of New York a farmers' institute was held at 

 Ithaca in January, 1886. This first attempt was so successful 

 that the society set aside |1,050 from its funds to be used 

 the following winter in inaugurating this movement. Ac- 

 cordingly during the winter of 1887, institutes were held at Lock- 

 port, Ithaca, Oswego, Batavia and Schenectady. The success of 

 the movement exceeded the expectation of even the most optim- 

 istic among its supporters, and later results have given ample 

 proof of its value to the New York farmer. 



Beside the work already enumerated, the society has con- 

 ducted extensive trials of agricultural implements and machinery. 

 It appointed commissioners to enquire into the cause and treat- 

 ment of contagious diseases, among which may be mentioned the 

 •contagious pleuropneumonia of 1859, the rinderpest of 1886, the 

 plague of bovine abortion in 1867, and the epizootic apatha of 

 1870. These were promptly taken in hand and valuable work 

 done for the live stock interests of the country. Another matter 

 •of historic interest is the publication, 1850 to 1873, of a monthly 

 journal in which appeared the work of the various committees, 

 current events and other brief matters of agricultural interest. 

 In mentioning the factors which have contributed to the success 

 of the New York State Agricultural Society, the annual meeting 



