188 History of Hingham. 



The society held meetings once in three months. The records 

 do not show that any lectures were given at the meetings, or any 

 discussions on agricultural subjects maintained ; but the principal 

 business appears by the records to have been the letting out of 

 the books of the society to the highest bidder. It is fair to pre- 

 sume that such intelligent men as were members of this society 

 could not have regularly met together without entering into some 

 discussion on farm topics in at least an informal way, thus 

 gaining something beyond what they obtained from the books 

 let out. 



The following copy of the record of one of the meetings is a 

 fair sample of the others found in the record book : — 



Hingham, June 25, 1819. 

 Voted, That the fine for not returning pamphlets shall be no more than 

 ten cents. 



The books were let out as follows : — 



Agricultural Repository, Vol. 1, Benjamin Thomas 

 " " " 2, James Stephenson 



" " " 3, Ezra Leavitt 



" " " 4, John Beal 



Foresythe on Fruit Trees, Ezra Leavitt . 

 Lowels' Address, Jerome Gushing .... 

 Sinclares Code of Agriculture, Joseph Gushing 



57 " 



The last meeting of the society was held March 31, 1831. It 

 existed seventeen years and held fifty-four meetings. Eighteen 

 new members were by vote added to the seventeen original 

 members. 



The record book of the society is chiefly in the handwriting 

 of John Beal, who was secretary during most of the time the 

 society existed. This book was given by his son John to the 

 Hingham Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and is now de- 

 posited in the library of the society. It was from this book that 

 the above information was obtained. 



THE HINGHAM AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL 



SOCIETY 



On the 12th of October, 1858, about twenty friends of agricul- 

 ture met in the Town Hall in answer to a public notice given for 

 a meeting to consider the expediency of forming an agricultural 

 society. James S. Lewis, Esq., called the meeting to order, 

 Charles W. Cushing, Esq., was chosen chairman, and Edmund 

 Horsey secretary. 



. Fearing Burr, Jr., stated the object of the meeting, and after 

 a full discussion a committee was chosen to make the necessary 

 arrangements for organizing a society. 



November 10 a society under the name of " The Hingham 



