12 THE GREEN RISING 



cultural education had had a beginning, and interest 

 in the scientific aspects of agriculture had increased 

 greatly. 



Five important agencies developed for the dis- 

 semination of agricultural information, as follows: 

 (1) The organization of agricultural societies; (2) 

 interest in rural and community fairs; (3) the estab- 

 lishment of the agricultural press; (4) the opening 

 of agricultural schools; (5) and the establishment 

 of state and federal agencies for the promotion of 

 agriculture. The first agricultural society was The 

 Philadelphia Society, founded in 1785. Similar soci- 

 eties were founded previous to 1800 in South Car- 

 olina, Maine, New York, and Massachusetts. The 

 first rural fair was held in Washington in 1804. The 

 first live stock show was held in Pittsfield, Massa- 

 chusetts, in 1810. Agricultural journalism had its 

 beginning in 1819 when John S. Skinner founded 

 The American Farmer in Baltimore. Later in the 

 same year The Plow Boy, printed at Albany, New 

 York, appeared. The New England Farmer and 

 The New York Farmer appeared soon afterward. 



The agricultural population had been gaining 

 strength and means of self-expression for nearly a 

 century when the Civil War began. The economic 

 status of the farm population, and the isolation of 

 the farmer produced a feeling of independence on 

 the part of those engaged in agriculture. Improved 

 means of transportation and intercommunication 

 rapidly developed a sense of social solidarity. The 

 farmer was, therefore, well prepared for offensive 



