1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



83 



the fame of its projectors," we have always en- 

 deavored to give full credit to this Society, for its 

 efficient and well-directed exertions to advance 

 the cause of agriculture, and we have always 

 looked upon its distinguished founder, not only 

 with esteem and respect, but even with admira- 

 tion and affection. Having travelled extensively 

 in his own and in foreign countries, and having 

 carefully observed their condition, he removed 

 into Berkshire in 1807. He immediately per- 

 ceived the wants of the agricultural community 

 around him, and set himself to work to arouse 

 the farmers to a sense of those wants, and to de- 

 vise the best methods of supplying them. In his 

 patriotic labor, he spared neither pains nor ex- 

 pense. In 1807 he obtained the first pair of me- 

 rinos ever introduced into Berkshire. In the 

 winter of 1807 -8, he addressed the farmers of 

 Berkshire on the subject of the spread of merino 

 sheep. In these first essays, he says in his "His- 

 tory of Agricultural Societies on the Berkshire 

 System," "the following extracts were an introduc- 

 tion to the subject of establishing an Agricidtural 

 Society." One sentence from these "Extracts" is 

 the following : "The most certain and direct road 

 to eifect this great object, it appears to me, will 

 be the organization of An Agricultural Society." 



In 1808, he introduced an improved breed 

 of swine into Berkshire. In the same year, 

 he purchased a young bull of a celebrated 

 English stock, with a view, as he says, "of ame- 

 liorating the breed of cattle." In August, 1810, 

 he wrote an appeal to the public, which he pro- 

 cured twenty-six farmers to sign, and appointed 

 a cattle show to be held on the first of the follow- 

 ing October, at Pittsfield. This show was subse- 

 quently held, and [on the following winter, 1810- 

 11,] he says, "we were incorporated into an agri- 

 cultui'al society." He was appointed or elected 

 President. On the 24th of September following, 

 a cattle show was held, which he opened by an 

 address. Of this he says, — "Having spoke in 

 public, and feeling the awkwardness of my situa- 

 tion, standing before the multitude I had been 

 principally instrumental in assembling, as a vis- 

 ionary projector, — it was with infinite difficulty I 

 could command my nerves, to commence and pro- 

 ceed in my address." It began thus, "On ih.h first 

 occasion of our meeting as an Agricultural Soci- 

 ety under the sanction of law," &c. 



Here we have, in the words of its projector and 

 founder, an account of the origin and first meet- 

 ings of the Berkshire Agricultural Society. 



Now, then, let us look at the origin of the Mid- 

 dlesex Society, and it seems to us to be merely a 

 question of dates, to be decided by the records, 

 and one upon which there is no more occasion for 

 the exercise of feelings of jealousy, than there is 

 upon any other question of dates and figures. 



The Massachusetts Society for Promoting Ag- 

 riculture was incorporated in 1792. In Decem- 

 ber, 1793, a circular was issued by some members 

 of the Massachusetts Society, residing in Middle- 

 sex county, inviting other members to meet at 

 Chelmsford, on the 6th of January, 1794, "to lend 

 tlieir aid in forming such measures as shall ap- 

 pear calculated to promote, and in general to im- 

 prove the 'Hu-bandry of the county.' " The meet- 

 ing took place on the day appointed, and an as- 

 sociation was formed, and the following preamble 

 to their rules and regulations adopted. After re- 

 ferring to the recommendation of the State Soci- 

 ty, which had led to their meeting, they say, 

 "We, the subscribers, members of said society, 

 dwelling in the western part of the county of 

 Middlesex, being desirous of furthering the laud- 

 able designs of the said society, and promoting 

 to the utmost of our power the Husbandry of our 

 county, do hereby associate together and form 

 ourselves into a society, for the purposes above 

 expressed, by the name and style of the Middle- 

 sex Husbandmen, and do adopt and agree to the 

 following rules and regulations." 



On the 3d of February, 1794, the newly-formed 

 society issued another circular to many gentle- 

 men in the county, inviting them to become mem- 

 bers. On the 27th of October, 1794, the society 

 again met, and passed resolutions completing 

 their organizations, appointing committees, re- 

 ceiving communications upon agrictdturcd subjects, 

 &c. &c. TJiese meetings ivere continued two or 

 three times a year. In 1799, Rev. E. Foster, of 

 Littleton, delivered an "Oration on Agricvilture." 

 In the winter of 1803-4, the society was incorpo- 

 rated, and in. October of that year, the first Board 

 of Trustees was appointed under the act of incor- 

 poration, consisting of Oliver Prescott, Timothy 

 Bigelow, Ebenezer Bancroft and Abel Fletcher. 



Now it seems to us that not another word is 

 necessary to settle this long mooted question. 

 The case, as the lawyers would say, is fairly made 

 out. The only question that has ever been rais- 

 ed by us, is clearly settled by the dates them- 

 selves, and we would not say another word, only 

 that the writer of the above has raised an entire- 

 ly different question, and thrown out various in- 

 sinuations, entirely foreign to the true question. 

 The question which he discusses relates to the 

 comparative merits and measures and usefulness 

 of the two societies. Even the elder Watson 

 looked with feelings of paternity upon the society 

 which he had organized, and was disposed to 

 speak somewhat slightingly of societies previous- 

 ly existing. He said, in the autumn of 1816, in 

 an address referring to the State society, "they 

 are blessed with respectable funds for years ac- 

 cumulating, but of no practical use to the com- 

 munity thus far." Whether this was generous 



