AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES 97 



of an agricultural university" (136, p. 20). Jonathan B. Turner 

 proposed a plan at this meeting which included "a university 

 for industrial classes in each state in the Union." The plati 

 adopted was published and widely circulated throughout the 

 country. Another convention was held at Springfield, Illinois, 

 June 8, 1852. At this convention a memorial was presented, 

 containing, among other things, a definite plan for organizing 

 agricultural colleges : "An appropriate endowment of universi- 

 ties for the liberal education of the industrial classes in their 

 several pursuits in each state in the Union" (136, p. 22). A 

 third convention was held at Chicago, November 24, 1852. It 

 was decided at this meeting to organize "The Industrial League 

 of the State of Illinois" for the purpose of forwarding the 

 objects of the convention, one object being "to obtain a grant 

 of public land to establish and endow industrial institutions in 

 each and every state in the Union. "A fourth convention was 

 held at Springfield on January 4, 1853. Here a final plan was 

 approved in the form of a petition to Congress (136, pp. 24 and 

 104). Copies were distributed to the various other agricultural 

 and industrial societies throughout the country. These societies 

 were asked to adopt the plan and urge its approval by Congress. 

 The campaign for passage by Congress of an act embodying 

 this plan was actively continued by the Industrial League of 

 the State of Illinois, and by similar organizations in other states 

 until it became a law, July 2, 1862. 



The activities of the agricultural societies of New York, 

 Michigan, and Illinois in promoting agricultural education is 

 typical of what was accomplished by similar societies in Pennsyl- 

 vania, Connecticut, and other states during this period. 



SECOND PERIOD 



In 1858 there were over 900 agricultural and horticultural 

 societies listed at the Patent Office, and in 1868 the Department 

 of Agriculture listed 1,350. All but about 100 of these were 

 organized after 1849 (122, p. 292). 



