10 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



The dates given are important as marking the be- 

 ginning of whatever has since been done in Massachu- 

 setts by societies or official boards for the promotion 

 of agriculture. Here on March 2, March 7, April 19 

 and June 14 the primary impulse was given, which, 

 within the next 27 years, was manifest in the forma- 

 tion of eight other agricultural societies in the State. 

 Previously to 1852 seven more were organized and in 

 that year the Board of Agriculture of the State was 

 established.* 



These organizations and those of the various town 

 clubs and societies were but copies of the original in- 

 stance, the method and operation of which were more 

 and more seen to be of indisputable utility. . It may be 

 remarked that the society is not only prior in date to 

 all others in the State, but, as a corporation, to all 

 others in the United States. In New York and Penn- 

 sylvania, and possibly in one of the more Southern 

 states, societies had been formed a few years earlier, 

 the first in 1785.t In the Canadian provinces one, or 

 possibly two, existed. The petition alludes to these, 

 and, in the same connection, to European societies. 

 They were but few in number. Britain appears to 

 have had but two, the Dublin society, which is stated 

 to have had "but small influence for many years," and 

 the Highland society in Scotland, which was incor- 

 porated in 1787. The British Board of Agriculture 

 was not established till 1793. It is noticeable that the 



* The dates are as follows: Middlesex Society, 1794; Sturbridge 

 society, 1799; Kennebec, 1800; Berkshire, 1811; Essex, 1818; Worces- 

 ter, 1818; Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Society, 1818; Plymouth, 

 1819; Bristol, 1823; Barnstable, 1844; Hampden county society, 1844; 

 Housatonic, 1848; Norfolk, 1849; Hampshire and Franklin society, 

 1850; Worcester West society, 1851. All but one or two of these were 

 organized as corporations. 



t Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, Feb. 11, 1785. 

 Agricultural Society of South Carolina, Aug. 24, 1785. 



