Agriculture. 187 



wheeled wagons did not come into use by the farmers of this town 

 until after the beginning of the present century ; before that 

 period the crops were moved on rudely constructed two-wheel 

 carts, which, with the exception of the wheels and axles, were 

 made on the farm by the farmer himself, who sometimes called 

 to his assistance a neighbor more expert with mechanical tools 

 than the average farmer. The corn was carried to mill on the 

 backs of horses, and the farmer and his wife, having no carriage, 

 rode on the same horse to market, or to church. 



Not only has there been a wonderful improvement in the struc- 

 ture of the hand-tools of the farm, but there has been a wonderful 

 improvement in the method of doing farm-work. Now, instead 

 of doing the work with his own muscular power, the farmer has 

 improved machines by which he can do the work wich his horses, 

 while he rides on the machines to guide them. Farming one 

 or two centuries ago meant hard muscular labor, with tools ill 

 adapted to the work required of them, while the farming of to- 

 day, if success is to be attained, means high intelligence to keep 

 in order and guide the machines that have been carefully con- 

 structed on principles best adapted to perform the work required 

 of them. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



In February, 1813, the Massachusetts Society for the Promo- 

 tion of Agriculture sent out circulars recommending as the best 

 means for receiving and communicating information on affairs of 

 husbandry, that the inhabitants of one or two of the neighboring 

 towns should form themselves into a society for improvement in 

 agriculture. One of these circulars was laid before the town at a 

 meeting held in May following, and a committee of sixteen persons 

 was chosen to consider the subject, and report at a future meeting. 



At a meeting held in March, 1814, the committee reported, 

 recommending the formation of a society to be called " Agricul- 

 tural Society of Hingham," and that seventeen persons be chosen 

 by the town to act as its first members. The following persons 

 were chosen : — 



Samuel Norton, Esq. Dr. Daniel Shute. 



Hawkes Fearing, Esq. Dr. Levi Lincoln. 



Thomas Fearing. Perez Whiton. 



Solomon Lincoln. Job Loring. 



Martin Lincoln. Solomon Jones, Esq. 

 Charles W. Cushing. . Thomas Andrews. 



Benjamin Thomas. Laban Hersey. 



James Stephenson. Jerome Cushing. 

 Joseph Cushing. 



The first officers of the society were Samuel Norton, Esq.,. 

 President; Hawkes Fearing, Esq., Vice-President ; Jerome Cush- 

 ing, Secretary ; Solomon Jones, Treasurer. 



