Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland

Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland

Founding of the Society

Year Authority / Notes

1723 According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, Maxwell was one of the earliest and most active members of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland, which had been established at Edinburgh on 1723, June 8.
Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 p.134 notes that the Society dissolved when most of its founders had died; when that happened, Maxwell concentrated on the Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture, which took the place of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland.
According to Deike (1994), p.21, the Society existed only until 1745.
It might be interesting to add some information from other sources about this later Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture. To begin, there is a record in the Nat. Lib. Scotland cat. for the following 1755 title: Rules and orders of the Edinburgh Society, for the encouragement of arts, sciences, manufactures, and agriculture..
Some additional information is found in: Emerson, Roger L. The Social Composition of Enlightened Scotland: The Select Society of Edinburgh, 1754-1764. Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century (1973) 114: 291-329. We abbreviate the latter reference as Emerson (1973).
Emerson (1973), p.291 indicates that the Select Society of Edinburgh was an important circle of intellectuals in Scotland from 1754 to 1764. Emerson (1973), p.297 notes that in 1755 (a year after its founding) the Select Society brought into being a subsidiary society named the Edinburgh Society for Encouraging Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture in Scotland. [Note the use of the word Encouraging rather then Encouragement, as well as other variations in the society name.] According to Emerson (1973), p.300, both societies ceased in 1764. No mention is made of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland.

Seat of the Society

City Authority / Notes

Edinburgh
Scotland According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, the Society was founded in Edinburgh.

Name of the Society

Dates Name Authority

1723 - 1745 Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, the Society was founded with this name in 1723. According to Deike (1994), p.21, the Society existed only until 1745.

1743 The Honourable the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland Its publications.

Journals of the Society

Years Full Journal Title Abbrev. Indexed
1743

A Select Transactions of the Honourable the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland. : Directing the husbandry of the different soils for the most profitable purposes, and containing other directions, receipts and descriptions. Together with an account of the Society's endeavours to promote our manufactures. / Prepared for the press by Robert Maxwell of Arkland, a member of the Society, and revised by the preses [sic] and a committee appointed for that end..
[Nat. Lib. Scotland cat.]

Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland
Founding of the Society
Year	Authority / Notes
1723	According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, Maxwell was one of the earliest and most active members of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland, which had been established at Edinburgh on 1723, June 8. Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 p.134 notes that the Society dissolved when most of its founders had died; when that happened, Maxwell concentrated on the Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture, which took the place of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland. According to Deike (1994), p.21, the Society existed only until 1745. It might be interesting to add some information from other sources about this later Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture. To begin, there is a record in the Nat. Lib. Scotland cat. for the following 1755 title: *Rules and orders of the Edinburgh Society, for the encouragement of arts, sciences, manufactures, and agriculture..* Some additional information is found in: Emerson, Roger L. The Social Composition of Enlightened Scotland: The Select Society of Edinburgh, 1754-1764. *Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century* (1973) 114: 291-329. We abbreviate the latter reference as Emerson (1973). Emerson (1973), p.291 indicates that the Select Society of Edinburgh was an important circle of intellectuals in Scotland from 1754 to 1764. Emerson (1973), p.297 notes that in 1755 (a year after its founding) the Select Society brought into being a subsidiary society named the Edinburgh Society for Encouraging Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture in Scotland. [Note the use of the word Encouraging rather then Encouragement, as well as other variations in the society name.] According to Emerson (1973), p.300, both societies ceased in 1764. No mention is made of the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland.
Seat of the Society
City	Authority / Notes
Edinburgh Scotland	According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, the Society was founded in Edinburgh.
Name of the Society
Dates	Name	Authority
1723 - 1745	*Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland*	According to an article on Maxwell, Robert (1695-1765) in the Dictionary of National Biography, v.13 pp.134-135, the Society was founded with this name in 1723. According to Deike (1994), p.21, the Society existed only until 1745.
1743	*The Honourable the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland*	Its publications.

Journals of the Society
Years	Full Journal Title	Abbrev.	Indexed
1743 A	Select Transactions of the Honourable the Society of Improvers in the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland. : Directing the husbandry of the different soils for the most profitable purposes, and containing other directions, receipts and descriptions. Together with an account of the Society's endeavours to promote our manufactures. / Prepared for the press by Robert Maxwell of Arkland, a member of the Society, and revised by the preses [sic] and a committee appointed for that end.. [Nat. Lib. Scotland cat.]