ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 61 



The American Philosophical Societ}'-, of which Franklin was the 

 I'resident until his death, was, as I have already mentioned, estab- 

 lished in 1769. In the beginning it gave some attention to the use- 

 ful arrs, as respects inventions, the art of dyeing, and a few other 

 subjects, but it gradually became what it has ever since been, a 

 scientific society of the same character as the Boston Academy of 

 Arts and Sciences, or the Smithsonian Institute. 



In 1785 the Phihidelphia society ior the promotion of Agricul- 

 ture, was established. It continued to meet regularly for several 

 years, and to publish in the newspapers of the day communications 

 from practical men upon topics connected with agriculture. lu 

 1790 Hamilton's celebrated report upon manufactures appeared, in 

 the course of which he drew attention to the societies in Europe, 

 by whom premiums were offered for the encouragement of agricul- 

 ture, manufactures and the arts, remarking that though voluntary 

 bodies, with but slender funds, their utility had been immense ; and 

 he justly recommended the adoption of the practice in this country, 

 declaring with foreshadowing wisdom, that if the government of 

 the Union would undertake and support it, vast benefits might be 

 expected. The suggestion, it would seem, had some effect upon the 

 Philadelphia Society, for, in the following year, 1791, it offered 

 thirteen prizes, consisting of gold and silver medals, chiefly for the 

 elucidation of questions connected with the practice of agriculture, 

 shortly after which this society ceased its labors for several years. 



In 1791 Chancellor Livingston, Dr. Mitchell and several other 

 gentlemen, held a meeting in the city of New York, and formed a 

 society for the advancement of agriculture and the arts, which was 

 incorporated in 1793. One of its earliest .steps was to issue a cir- 

 cular, containing queries, designed to collect information upon a 

 variety of subjects connected with the objects of its organization, 

 among which, as belonging to our branch of enquiry, were questions 

 connected with the manufacture of woolen and cotton goods, sole 

 leather, glass, china and earthen ware ; the communications re- 

 sulting from which were published by the society in a volume. Its 

 labors, however, were chiefly devoted to agriculture, though the 

 steam engine, the manufacture of paper, distillation and dyeing, are 

 among the subjects upon which papers were published. 



In 1792 the Massachusetts society for the promotion of agricul- 

 ture was established. In 1800 it followed the practice of the New 

 York society, and distributed throughout Massachusetts a printed 

 circular, requesting answers to some fifty questions relating to agri- 

 culture. The practice was continued for some years, and the infor- 

 mation obtained by this means was printed by the society with 

 other matters, in a series of papers extending from 1801 to 1815, 



