40 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



Much anxiety was felt during the period now referred 

 to as to a probable early scarcity of fuel, and premiums 

 were offered by the society for the raising of forest trees. 

 At the beginning of the century the highest premium was 

 awarded to Col. Robert Dodge of Hamilton, for raising, 

 from the seed, 4000 oak trees. In 1816 an elaborate arti- 

 cle on the preparation and use of peat was published in the 

 Journal. The editor, in a preface, remarks that much suf- 

 fering experienced during the late war might have been 

 avoided had a knowledge of this fuel been generally 

 diffused, and he has the satisfaction of being able to say 

 that u in many places through which the Middlesex canal 

 passes, peat bogs were found from 20 to 50 feet deep. 

 There is undoubtedly enough good peat, without using 

 the top of the ground which is loose and spongy, to last 

 the country for centuries.'' The arrival of anthracite coal, 

 about the year 130, eventually solved the fuel problem. 



In 1800 the first seed-sowing machine was exhibited 

 and recommended by the trustees. In the following 

 year it was announced that experiments had proved that 

 the exchange of seeds and roots between distant places or 

 different climates was not of special benefit, but that the 

 selection of the earliest and best seeds, from the most 

 flourishing stalks, and planting only the best roots, were of 

 importance. In 1814 machines for raising water for irri- 

 gation, and others for threshing grain, were shown, but did 

 not gain the approval of the trustees. In 1816 a newly 

 invented winnowing machine received their commenda- 

 tion. The first cattle show of the society took place at 

 Brighton, Oct. 8, 1816. It was successful beyond expec- 

 tation and was repeated annually upon broader lines in 

 the following years. 



At the close of the official year following this event the 

 society reached its quarter-centennary. The abbreviated 

 record of the period here made is sufficient to evince that 

 it had exercised a steadily increasing influence and had 

 now an active public opinion as its auxiliary. Beginning 



