No. 4.] WOliK OF BOAKD OF AGKICULTURE. 249 



WOKK OF THE BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. 



BY "WaLLIAM R. SESSIONS, SECRETARY. 



As long ago as 1796 boards of agriculture were officially 

 recommended. Washington, the first President of our 

 country, in one of his last messages to Congress, said : " It 

 will not be doubted, that, with reference either to individual 

 or national welfare, agriculture is of a primary importance. 

 In proportion as nations advance in population and other 

 circumstances of maturity, this truth becomes more and 

 more an object of public patronage. Institutions for pro- 

 moting it grow u}), supported by the public purse ; and to 

 what object can it l)e dedicated with greater success than 

 the establishment of l)oards composed of pro})er characters, 

 charo-ed with collectins: and diffusins: information, and enabled 

 hy premiums and small pecuniary aids to encourage and 

 assist a spirit of discovery and improvement? This species 

 of estaldishments contributes doul)ly to the increase of 

 improvement, by stimulating to enterjjrise and experiments, 

 and by drawing to a common centre the results ever3'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 

 l)enefits." 



Here in a few words the father of our country outlined 

 the ol)ject and duty of a board of agriculture. Massachusetts 

 has for many years acted in accordance with the views of 

 Washino-ton in this matter. One of the first agricultural 

 organizations in the country was the Massachusetts Society 

 for Promoting Agriculture, incorporated in 1792. Between 

 1792 and 1818 several county societies were incorpo- 

 rated by the Legislature. In the latter year the Legis- 

 lature provided for a system of bounties to these societies, 

 which is still in force. But there was no connecting link 



