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PROGRESS OF AGRICULTURE 23

rts,“ in which agriculture is first named. This society published soven volumes of its Transactions prior to 1815.

In about the year 1800, the Kennebeck Agricultural Society was formed in the District of Maine, and was continued with considerable activity for a period of several years. Anumber of interesting papers, emanating from this society, were published in the Repository and Journal, issued by the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agricul- ture, in 1803..

In August, 1810, Mr. Elkanah Watson, of Berkshire, in Massachu- setts, wrote an appeal to the public, which he induced twenty-six fkarmers to sign, appointing a cattle show at Pittsfield, on the Ist of October of that year, which took place, and it is believed, was the frst agricultural fair ever held in America. The Berkshire Agri- cultural Society was incorporated in the winter of 1810—11.

From this era sprang the system of agricultural societies and shows. as they exist at present, in most parts of the United States. Through the perseverance and patriotic efforts of Mr. Watson, the gentleman mentioned above, societies were formed, not only in many of the counties of New England, but in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, as well as boards of agriculture in several of these States. 1

In 1819, the legislature of New York appropriated 20, 000, to be divided in two years, for the promotion of agriculture and family domestic manufactures, to be equitably distributed among the agri- cultural societies of the counties of that State. By the same act, the sum of§1, 000 was also appropriated for the purchase of useful seeds, to be distributed to said societies for experiment, and a board nf agriculture was established, to be comprised of the presidents of chese societies, who were authorized to compile and publish fifteen mundred copies of a volumo of archives at the expense of the State.

In 1828, the ‧American Institute of the city of New York' was incorporated for the broad purpose of encouraging and promoting domestic industry throughout the United States, by bestowing rewards and other benefits on those who excel in any of the departments of agriculture, commerce, manufactures, and the arts; serving also as the agricultural society of the county of New York. The officers, committees, and clubs of this institution have ever been active in promoting the objects of its formation. The annual volumes of Trans- actions, published with commendable liberality by the State, not only contain reports of the progress of the institute itself, but those of the judges of the fairs, as well as the addresses and useful papers on subjects coming within the wide scope of its design.

In 1832, The New York State Agricultural Society' was incor- porated to continue for the term of 20 years, with power to take and hold real and personal property; but lest the farmers should combine and turn speculators, they, with commendable caution pro- vided that their real estate should not exceed§25,000. This charter was renewed in 1852, restricting their personal property to§10. 000. Notwithstanding the spirited exertions of many gentlemen in differeui