EAELY AGEICULTURAL EDUCATION IN MASSACHU- 

 SETTS. 



BY F. H. FOWLEK, B.SC, FIRST CLERK AND LIBRARIAN, MASSACHUSETTS 

 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The purpose of this paper is to show that the need of 

 education in agriculture was early present in the minds of 

 citizens of Massachusetts, and to trace the expression of this 

 need and the efforts put forth to meet it. 



It has not been deemed expedient, however, to cany the 

 subject beyond the year 1863, the year in which the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College was incorporated and began 

 its work. 



Probably the first recorded expression of this need is 

 found in the published proceedings of the Massachusetts 

 Society for Promoting Agriculture, under date of 1796, in 

 which the trustees state : — 



They have thought it would coincide with the design of their 

 Institution, to offer to the Public the original communications, 

 and the extracts from apjiroved authors, which are contained 

 in the following sheets . . . The Trustees of the Society feel 

 themselves responsible not only to their immediate constituents, 

 hut to the community at large, for the faithful execution of 

 their trust; but they are to be considered rather as the medium, 

 or organ of communication to the public, of such agricultural 

 knowledge as is scattered throughout the State; . . . They 

 therefore earnestly request all persons to communicate freely 

 the results of their experiments in agricultural matters, to sug- 

 gest objects for premiums, and any observations they may make 

 respecting any branch of husbandry.^ 



* Rules and Regulations of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agricul- 

 ture, etc., pp. 3, 4. Boston, 1796. 



