288 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



of public patronage. Institutions for promoting it grow up, 

 supported by the public purse ; and to what object can it be 

 dedicated with greater success than the establishment of boards 

 composed of proper characters, charged with collecting and 

 diffusing iaformation, and enabled by premiums and small 

 pecuniary aids to encourage and assist a spirit of discovery and 

 improvement? This species of establishments contributes doubly 

 to the increase of improvement, by stimulating to enterprise and 

 experiments, and by drawing to a common centre the results every- 

 where of individual skill and observation, and spreading them 

 thence over the whole nation. Experience accordingly has shown 

 that they are cheap instruments of immense national benefits. I 

 have therefore proposed to the consideration of Congress the expe- 

 diency of establishing a national university, and also a military 

 academy. The desirableness of both of these institutions has so 

 constantly increased with every new view I have taken on the 

 subject, that I cannot omit the opportunity of once for all recalling 

 your attention to them, , 



Highly as the Father of his Country valued an institution 

 for the educating and training of those who were to defend 

 the country, equally as important he considered one for 

 educating those on whom all depended for support. At this 

 date there were but two agricultural societies in the country. 

 The first one was established in 1785, in Philadelphia; the 

 second, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agri- 

 culture, was incorporated March 7, 1792. The Berkshire 

 Agricultural Society, being the third, was incorporated in 

 1811, and in 1814 held the first county cattle show and fair 

 in the United States. In 1819 the Massachusetts Legislature 

 passed an act giving to every society which should raise the 

 sum of one thousand dollars for the promotion of agriculture, 

 two hundred dollars annually, and in like proportion for 

 any greater sum, not exceeding three thou-and dollars. But 

 so little was the usefulness of these societies understood and 

 appreciated, that strenuous opposition was made to all fur- 

 ther incorporation of new ones, which were to receive aid 

 from the State. Thirty-four years later, in 1853, with 

 fourteen societies in the Commonwealth, five or six petitions, 

 asking to be incorporated, were sent to the Legislature, and 

 all denied. But a general act was passed, entitled, " Agri- 

 cultural, Horticultural and Ornamental Tree Associations." 



