48 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



grain, were shown, but did not gain the approval of the 

 trustees. In 1816 a newly invented winnowing 

 machine received their commendation. The first cattle 

 show of the society took place at Brighton, Oct. 8, 

 1816. It was successful beyond expectation 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 suffi- 

 cient to evince that it had exercised a steadily increas- 

 ing influence and had now an active public opinion as 

 its auxiliary. Beginning with conditions of general 

 apathy, of more or less prevalent distrust as to its in- 

 tentions, and of incredulity that anything important 

 could be gained to the farming interest, it had created 

 a feeling of confidence as to the future of the agricul- 

 tural industry and excited a spirit of inquiry. It had 

 widely distributed thousands of pages of printed 

 matter, supplying the best information then obtain- 

 able relating to the art; given impetus to the forma- 

 tion of numerous co-working societies, and printed the 

 essays and contributed to the premiums of some of 

 the more important among them; it had introduced 

 new seeds and plants and choice breeds of farm ani- 

 mals, from foreign lands; brought new modes of farm- 

 ing into acceptance among leading farmers in different 

 parts of the State, thereby exerting an exemplary in- 

 fluence upon others who gave to books and pamphlets 

 no welcome; it had set fairly at work the inventive 

 faculty of the land in devising better farming appa- 

 ratus ; enlisted science to search and experiment in the 

 behest of agriculture; and, by its successful cattle 

 show, had reached the popular heart (which is always 

 responsive in beholding the novel and the extraordi- 



