Early American agricultural societies and organizations: Educational activities and numerical growth at key periods until 1900

This paper examines early agricultural societies in the United States. A literature review of pre-1900 agricultural societies was conducted, focusing on federal and secondary sources. The earliest societies and reasons for their formation are discussed; the different types of early agricultural societies and organizations are characterized and described; and the numerous educational activities of agricultural societies are explored, with particular emphasis on library development, adult education, publishing, research, and experimentation. The effect of the American Civil War on agricultural societies is discussed and the growth of agricultural societies throughout key periods of development is shown numerically in tabular form.