THE period of twenty or more years past has been 

 an epoch of centennials. Nor is it yet ended. 

 Several of an interesting character are now approach- 

 ing. One is at hand, the one hundredth anniversary of 

 the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture. 

 It differs from those preceding in being of State rather 

 than national prestige, but is still of high rank and 

 dignity. The society was incorporated by an act of 

 the Legislature passed March 7, 1792. Its long 

 career of beneficial activity, the distinguished names 

 borne upon its roll of membership, and its priority of 

 date among societies of like character in this section of 

 the country make it eminent among the State's char- 

 tered institutions and give it fame beyond the borders, 

 a fame not exclusively its own as it pertains also to the 

 Commonwealth. That this characterization is war- 

 ranted it will be the aim of the following pages to show 

 in a review of some of the main facts of the Society's 

 history. Such an anniversary is necessarily retrospec- 

 tive in its suggestions. A summing up of past experi- 

 ences will be a fitting commemoration of the old and 

 beginning of the new century. For the society has 

 both the resources and the disposition to pursue its 

 mission and to avail itself of whatever opportunities 

 the coming years shall bring for the advancement of 

 the first and most indispensable of the useful arts. 

 The origin of the Society is in the following petition: 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts: To the honor- 

 able the Senate and the honorable House of Repre- 



