FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 19 



" The society possesses means of causing useful infor- 

 mation to be published and diffused, and to reward, in 

 some degree, the efforts of the ingenious and industrious 

 in any new attempts of improvement, which they have in- 

 trusted the trustees with the application of. Our central 

 situation, and nearness to each other, give us the advan- 

 tage of frequently meeting, and receiving information. 

 We do not, however, affect to disguise that our usefulness 

 is, and will be, very much circumscribed without the aid 

 of the practical farmer, and that it is only as an organ of 

 information, that we can be extensively of importance." 



Nearly every issue of the society at this early period 

 contains a cordial or urgent invitation to "practical far- 

 mers " to communicate information, and in one of them it 

 is remarked that grammatical defects are no hindrance and 

 that the trustees will u methodize " the writing before 

 printing. 



1 1 is proper to say that this opposition or jealousy does 

 not appear to have been general, but it lurked here and 

 there and manifested itself in various ways and must have 

 been a hindrance. The experience is here recalled only 

 as being a part of the history of the society, and as show- 

 ing that the early stages of its march were not a mere 

 holiday or picnic excursion, but called for some exercise 

 of the virtues of perseverance, patience, magnanimity and 

 good nature. 



What has thus far been said has been with intent to 

 indicate the motive in which the society had its origin, 

 the character of its founders, the standard in discussion 

 and action which they sought to abide by and the condi- 

 tions under which it began. These last, so far as relating 

 to the art itself, are to be regarded as the zero point from 

 which its attainment in one hundred years is to be meas- 

 ured. This preliminary statement cannot better be 

 brought to a close than by quoting the spirited language 

 of President John Lowell in a reply made in 1823 to some 

 current animadversions, which throws light on the then 

 past period, and which, as descriptive of the career of the 

 society, is likewise applicable at the present date : 



