UNITED STATES. the United States the first society for promoting agriculture was es tablished at Philadelphia in 1755. In the same year a similar society was formed in South ('arid inn, to whieh the present State Agricul tural Society of South Carolina traces its origin. The New York Society for the Pro motion of Arts, and Alanufae tures organized in 1791 and published its first volume of Transactions in 1792. The :Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agri culture was incorporated in 1792 and began the publication of pamphlets on agricultural toPies in 1797. Several other societies were organized prior to the beginning of the nineteenth century. This movement continued, until in 1809 we have the germ of a national organization in the Columbian Agricultm-ol Society, formed in the District of Columbia. holding, of agrieul tural shows, or "fairs," was begun in the city of Washington in 1504, and was made a popular movement largely through the efforts of Elkanah Watson of :Massachusetts, who, beginning, with an exhibition of two imported merino sheep on the public square at Pittsfield. Mass., in 1507, soon developed the more elaborate and pictur esque "cattle shows," Which for many years have been popular rural festivals, especially in New' England. Shows of various sorts
are now held in different parts of the country by numerous State. county, and other local and interstate associations. Societies for promoting different agricultural interests have been organ ized under many different forms, and many of these are now in a flourishing condition. Alany of the States have important agricultural socie ties, the published reports of which contain much valuable information. There are also na tional, State, and local associations for the live stock interests (including the breeding of cattle, horses, sheep, swine, and poultry), dairying, horticulture, forestry, irrigation, good roads. bee-keeping, etc. Lists of the more important agricultural organizations in the United States are given in the Year Book of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Among the general associations which have exerted the most widespread influence in the United States are the Farmers' Alliance and the Patrons of Husbandry (otherwise known as the Grange). See the separate articles on FARMERS' ALLIANCE, and GRANGE.