Agricultural Museum (periodical)
Encyclopedia
The Agricultural Museum was the first agricultural periodical magazine
published in the United States, first printed July 4, 1810.
The editor was a Reverend David Wiley who was a minister that moved to Georgetown in 1800. Rev. Wiley was in charge of the Columbian Agricultural Society and was its secretary and teacher. The society was established for the purpose of inspiring local agriculture manufactures. The magazine was a branch of the society that discouraged imported products. Wiley was Georgetown's postmaster, superintendent of the turnpike, merchant, miller, and the major. Another important editor to the magazine was Joel Barlow
.
At first the periodical had no subscribers and depended on the society's members. It started as a bi-monthly publication and ran this way for a year. It then switched to being published monthly beginning with Volume 2 and ended after eleven issues of that volume (July 4, 1810-June 19, 1811), m. (July 1811-May 1812.) v.1, no.1-24; v.2, no. 1-11. July 4, 1810-May 1812).
The publication purported its mission to be
In the fourth issue of the agriculture magazine (Vol. 1, No. 4, August 15, 1810) the editor points out the society received from the Secretary of State
an edition of Lord Somerville's Essays of Husbandry. The book contained information on "Implements of Husbandry", "Sheep and Wool", "Draught Cattle" and "A Record of Lord Somerville's Cattle Shows" from its origin in 1802 to nearly the then present year. Another society member pointed out in his article labeled Roads and Inland Navigation that by raising $300,000 for improving the navigational system of the Potomac and its branches that it would benefit those with agricultural products that needed to be distributed throughout the United States. Another society member named Rinaldo Johnson wrote to the editor on July 30, 1810, after receiving the first two issues, on how happy he was with the publication. He explained in detail his first attempt at making Homespun cloth from wool. He made various clothing articles for his family that he considered as good as "British cloth". He gave this detail and breakdown of costs for information to other readers of the periodical. He was from Aquasco, Maryland
.
In the fifth issue (Vol. 1, No. 5, August 29, 1810) the editor prints "Extracts from Lord Somerville's Essay on Sheep" that was started in the previous issue. He also printed extracts from an article by Sir John Sinclair
, President of the Board of Agriculture labeled "On the proper kind of seed wheat and the causes of smut and other disorders to which that grain is liable." The article points out the advantages in using old seed rather than new seed in planting. The editor also incorporated an article labeled "On the culture of Potatoes" by Bath Papers. The article points out that potato
s are much more desirable for the poor than turnip
s. The article also points out potatoes are much better for the soil than turnips. Potatoes can also be used to feed cattle and hogs. They also store better than turnips. There is also an extract from a letter showing how to make paper from vegetable materials. It also points out a publication by Chancellor Livingston called "ESSAY ON SHEEP" that had so many innovative ideas in it that the state of New York ordered 1500 copies to be distributed freely to farmers.
On the top of the first page of each publication of the Agricultural Museeum was a quote from Virgil's Fourth Ecogue: OMNIS FERET OMNIA TELLUS - Every land shall bear every thing. Subscription to the publication was $2.50 for 24 numbers, paid in advance. The Agricultural Museum publication stopped printing in May of 1812, not finishing the second volume.
John Stuart Skinner
published the first agricultural periodical with a large circulation in the United States called the American Farmer some twelve years after the Agricultural Museum failed. According to that publication it was devoted to "rural economy, internal improvements, news, prices current." It was a quarto
of eight pages. It ran until 1897.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
published in the United States, first printed July 4, 1810.
History
The scientific agricultural magazine was an octavo consisting of 32 pages. It was the first periodical devoted strictly to agriculture. It was published by the Columbian Agricultural Society. The publisher was W. A. Rind of Georgetown, Washington, D.C.Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
The editor was a Reverend David Wiley who was a minister that moved to Georgetown in 1800. Rev. Wiley was in charge of the Columbian Agricultural Society and was its secretary and teacher. The society was established for the purpose of inspiring local agriculture manufactures. The magazine was a branch of the society that discouraged imported products. Wiley was Georgetown's postmaster, superintendent of the turnpike, merchant, miller, and the major. Another important editor to the magazine was Joel Barlow
Joel Barlow
Joel Barlow was an American poet, diplomat and politician. In his own time, Barlow was well-known for the epic Vision of Columbus. Modern readers may be more familiar with "The Hasty Pudding"...
.
At first the periodical had no subscribers and depended on the society's members. It started as a bi-monthly publication and ran this way for a year. It then switched to being published monthly beginning with Volume 2 and ended after eleven issues of that volume (July 4, 1810-June 19, 1811), m. (July 1811-May 1812.) v.1, no.1-24; v.2, no. 1-11. July 4, 1810-May 1812).
The publication purported its mission to be
In the fourth issue of the agriculture magazine (Vol. 1, No. 4, August 15, 1810) the editor points out the society received from the Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
an edition of Lord Somerville's Essays of Husbandry. The book contained information on "Implements of Husbandry", "Sheep and Wool", "Draught Cattle" and "A Record of Lord Somerville's Cattle Shows" from its origin in 1802 to nearly the then present year. Another society member pointed out in his article labeled Roads and Inland Navigation that by raising $300,000 for improving the navigational system of the Potomac and its branches that it would benefit those with agricultural products that needed to be distributed throughout the United States. Another society member named Rinaldo Johnson wrote to the editor on July 30, 1810, after receiving the first two issues, on how happy he was with the publication. He explained in detail his first attempt at making Homespun cloth from wool. He made various clothing articles for his family that he considered as good as "British cloth". He gave this detail and breakdown of costs for information to other readers of the periodical. He was from Aquasco, Maryland
Aquasco, Maryland
Aquasco is an unincorporated area in southeastern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located near Eagle Harbor and Charles County. It was home to the Aquasco Speedway....
.
In the fifth issue (Vol. 1, No. 5, August 29, 1810) the editor prints "Extracts from Lord Somerville's Essay on Sheep" that was started in the previous issue. He also printed extracts from an article by Sir John Sinclair
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet was a Scottish politician, writer on finance and agriculture and the first person to use the word statistics in the English language, in his vast, pioneering work, Statistical Account of Scotland, in 21 volumes.Sinclair was the eldest son of George Sinclair of...
, President of the Board of Agriculture labeled "On the proper kind of seed wheat and the causes of smut and other disorders to which that grain is liable." The article points out the advantages in using old seed rather than new seed in planting. The editor also incorporated an article labeled "On the culture of Potatoes" by Bath Papers. The article points out that potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
s are much more desirable for the poor than turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
s. The article also points out potatoes are much better for the soil than turnips. Potatoes can also be used to feed cattle and hogs. They also store better than turnips. There is also an extract from a letter showing how to make paper from vegetable materials. It also points out a publication by Chancellor Livingston called "ESSAY ON SHEEP" that had so many innovative ideas in it that the state of New York ordered 1500 copies to be distributed freely to farmers.
On the top of the first page of each publication of the Agricultural Museeum was a quote from Virgil's Fourth Ecogue: OMNIS FERET OMNIA TELLUS - Every land shall bear every thing. Subscription to the publication was $2.50 for 24 numbers, paid in advance. The Agricultural Museum publication stopped printing in May of 1812, not finishing the second volume.
John Stuart Skinner
John Stuart Skinner
John Stuart Skinner was an American lawyer, publisher, and editor.- Biography :Skinner began practicing law as an attorney at the age of twenty-one in 1809. On March 10, 1812, he married Elizabeth G. Davies, the step-daughter of Theodorick Bland...
published the first agricultural periodical with a large circulation in the United States called the American Farmer some twelve years after the Agricultural Museum failed. According to that publication it was devoted to "rural economy, internal improvements, news, prices current." It was a quarto
Quarto (text)
Quarto is a book or pamphlet produced from full 'blanksheets', each of which is printed with eight pages of text, four to a side, then folded two times to produce four leaves...
of eight pages. It ran until 1897.
Sources
- Bryan, Wilhelmus Bogart, A History of the National Capital from Its Foundation Through the Period of the Adoption of the Organic Act’’, The Macmillan company, 1914
- Kane, Joseph Nathan, Famous First Facts. A Record of First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States, H . W . Wilson Company, 1950
- Mott, Frank Luther, A history of American magazines, Harvard University Press, 1930, ISBN 0-674-39550-6
- The Agricultural Museum - all 24 issues of Volume 1 at Google Books