AGRICULTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



195 



The following Societies have also been in- 

 ooqioratcd at the dates annexed, but ai'c not 

 known to have gone into operation, viz : 



Parmcrs' Apsocialion Feb. 13, 1821. 



Hampshire Agricultural Societ}-, June 11, 1814. 

 Suffolk Agricultural Society April 10, 1839. 



In 1837, Resolves (chap. 67) were passed 

 of tlie following tenor, viz : 



" Rrxolved, That His Excellency the Gov- 

 ernor, by and with the advice of the Council, i.s 

 hereby authorized and re<iuosted to appoint 

 some Buitabk' and con)pctenl pennon, whose 

 duty it shall he. under the direction of His Ex- 

 cellency the Governor, to make an Agricultural 

 Survey of the Commonwealth, collect accurate 

 infonnation of the state and condition of its Ai,'- 

 riculture and every subject coimected with it, 

 point out the means of improvement, and make 

 a detailed report thereof with as much exact- 

 ness as circumstances will admit. 



'• Rcxolrrd. That a sunnnary of such survey 

 and examination shall be furnished to His Ex- 

 cellency the (jovenior every six months, until 

 the whole shall be completed, and at such other 

 times as shall be required, to be published in 

 euch way and manner as he, with the advice of 

 the Council, shall deem to be expedient and 

 useful ; and he is authorized to draw his war- 

 rants, from time to time, upon the Treasurer, for 

 such sums as may be necessary to defray the 

 expen.ses of said survej-, and to enable the per- 

 son, so appointed to proceed in the execution 

 of tlie duties that shall be required of him ; and 

 to pay the same to him, not exceeding the sum 

 of two tliousand five hundred dollars per an- 

 num.'' 



Mr. Henry Cohnsui, the Agricultural Sur- 

 veyor appointed under this authority, pub- 

 lished four Reports, which had a wide circu- 

 lation hi the country, and attracted favorable 

 attention abroad. The Resolves were re- 

 pealed, and the office discontinued, by a Re- 

 solve of 18-11 (chap. 14). 



The laws now in force, relating to the sub- 

 ject, are the foUowhig, \'iz: 



[Revised Statutes, Chap. -13.] 

 OF AGRICULTUR.\L CORPORATIONS. 



Section 1. Everj- incorporated Agricultural 

 Society, which shall have r,ii.scd or may here- 

 after raise, by contribution of individuals, and 

 put out at interest, on public or private security, 

 the sum of one thousand dollars, as a capital 

 stock appropriated for the uses of such Society, 

 shall be entitled to receive, in the month of Oc- 

 tober, annually, out of the treasury of the Com- 

 monwealth, the sum of two hundred dollars, and 

 in that proportion annually for any greater sum 

 so contributed and put at interest, as a capital 

 Slock; provided, that no Agricultural Society 

 shall receive from the treasury more than six 

 hundred dollars in any one year. 



§ 2. Any Agricultural Society, formed with- 

 in any county or counties wherein there is no 

 incorporated Society for the same purpose, and 

 which shall raise and put out at interest, as a 

 capital stock, not less than one thousand dollars, 

 for the uses of such Society, shall receive, on 

 application to tlie Legislature, an act of incorpo- 

 ration, in the usual form, and witli the custom- 

 ary rights and powers ; and. after sncli incorpo- 

 ration, the Society shall have all the privilesfes 

 secured to other Agricultural Societies, on com- 

 (43.",} 



plying with the terms and provisions herein 

 contained : provided, that no Agricultural Soci- 

 ety shall have the benefits of this section unless 

 the same be formed in a count_v. or in an asso- 

 ciation of counties, including a population of not 

 less than twenty-five thousand inhabitants. 



$ 3. I'] very Agricultural .Society which shall 

 claim the said allowance out of the public treas- 

 ury shall, in the month of October, aimuallj-, file 

 in the office of the Secretary of State a certifi- 

 cate, signed by the President and Treasurer of 

 such Society, specifying under oath the sum ac- 

 tually contributed, and put at interest, and then 

 belli by them well .secured as a capital stock; 

 and a warrant shall be drawn for the sum to 

 which such Society may be entitled. 



«J 1. Every Agricultural Society which shall, 

 receive the said allowance from the public treas- 

 ury shall offer annually, by way of premiums, 

 or .shall apply otherwise, at their discretion, for 

 the encouragement or improvement of Agricul- 

 ture or manuficturcs, a sum not less than the 

 amount annually received, as aforesaid, out of 

 the public treasury ; and they .shall also tran.smit 

 to the office of the Secretary, in the month of 

 January, aunuall}', a statement of their proceed- 

 ings in relation to the expenditure of such mon- 

 eys, specifying the nature of the encouragement 

 proposed by the .Society, and the objects for 

 which their premiums have been offered, and 

 to whom they were awarded : and .shall accom- 

 pany the same with such general observations, 

 concerning the state of Agriculture and manu- 

 factures in the State, as they may deem import- 

 ant or useful. 



^ .'). All moneys offered for premiums, which 

 shall not be awarded or paid, shall be put out at 

 interest, and added to the capital stock of each 

 Agricultural Society. 



§ 6. Every Agricultural Society which .shall 

 receive the said public allowance shall offer, an- 

 nually, such premiums and encouragement for 

 the raising and preserving of oaks, and other for- 

 est trees, as to them shall .seem proper, and best 

 adapted to perpetuate, within the State, an ade- 

 quate supply of ship timber. 



^ 7. The foregoing provisions shall not ex- 

 tend to any Agricultural Society which has been, 

 or hereafter n)ay be, incorporated for any terri- 

 tory less than a county. 



^ 8. All incorporated Agricultural Societies 

 may. by their officers, define and fix bounds of 

 sufllcicnt extent for the erection of their cattle- 

 pens and yards, and for convenient pas.sage- 

 waj's to and about the same, on the days of their 

 cattle-shows and exhibition.s, and also for their 

 plowing matches, and trials of working oxen ; 

 within which bounds no person shall be permit- 

 ted to enter or pass, unless in conformity with 

 the regulations of the officers of said Societies, 

 respectively. 



^ 9. If any person shall, contrary to the rec"- 

 ulations of the said officers, and after notice 

 thereof enter or pass within the bounds so fixed, 

 he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding five dollars, 

 to be recovered in an action on the ca.se, for the 

 use of the Society, bj'the Treasurer thereof 



^^ 10. The foregoing provisions shall not au- 

 thorize such Societies to occupy, or include 

 within the bounds which they .shall fix for the 

 purposes aforesaid, the land of any person, with- 

 out his con.sent, nor to occupy any turnpike or 

 public highway, in .such a manner as to obstruct 

 the public travel. 



$ 11. The officers of every such Society may 

 appoint a sufficient number of suitable persons. 



