FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE 53 



curriculum of the institution, a foreshadowing of the 

 State Agricultural College of a later date. The trustees 

 of the society responded with cordial approval of what 

 was suggested, and said that they had previously 

 recommended something of the kind to the Legisla- 

 ture. They judged, however, that such an enterprise 

 ought to be under the direction and control of the 

 State authorities. 



In 1830, after conference and agreement with the 

 officers of Harvard College, the connection of the 

 society with the Botanic Garden was severed, and it 

 went into the sole charge of the college. This step 

 appears to have been taken in consequence of the 

 action of the Legislature in refusing further grants of 

 money for the purpose. The $600 received from the 

 State that year was paid over to the college, and the 

 fund derived from sale of the Maine townships became 

 vested in the college. No doubt much benefit to agri- 

 culture had, directly and indirectly, resulted from 

 this cooperation, during 26 years, of the college and 

 the society. The corresponding secretary of the 

 society from 1798 to 1806 was Rev. J. T. Kirkland, 

 and he continued to serve as a trustee until 1810, when 

 he became president of the college. He served in that 

 office until 1827 and manifestly took a personal inter- 

 est in the botanic-agricultural department of the col- 

 lege. This is indicated, in part, by various payments 

 made to him during his presidency, for seeds, plants, 

 etc., and noted in the Society's records. In 1836 the 

 trustees, after investigation by a committee, offered 

 premiums for the cultivation of the sugar beet and the 

 production of sugar therefrom. 



In 1824 the Journal contained a long article on 

 road making, giving a particular description of the 

 method employed in England by John Loudon 



