Search for New Crops 1770-1840


plants. Jefferson's Garden Book, kept from 1776 to 1824, attests
to his persistent, practical research for improved crops. According
to the records, Jefferson took more advantage of his foreign resi-
dence to study European agriculture than did Franklin. Jefferson
shared his plants and his discoveries, and went to considerable
trouble to find promising new plant crops to introduce.
 Aid to Agriculture-Jefferson believed that agricultural societies
should experiment with new crop productions and bring them
to the attention of their members. "In an infant country, as ours
is, these experiments are important. We are probably far from
possessing, as yet, all the articles of culture for which nature has
fitted our country." He realized that "to find out these will require
abundance of unsuccessful experiments. But if, in a multitude of
these, we make one useful acquisition, it repays our trouble." It
was not the duty of the Federal Government, but "perhaps it is the
peculiar duty of associated bodies, to undertake these experi-
ments." (5)
 In this letter to William Drayton just quoted, Jefferson offered
his whole-hearted cooperation to the South Carolina Society for
the Promotion of Agriculture. This institution, established in
1785, was the first agricultural association incorporated in the
United States to provide a farm for testing introduced seeds and
cuttings. The members were especially active in testing the olive
and grape, but only the olive gave promise. ". . I shall be atten-
tive to procure for them the seeds of such plants, as they will be
so good as to point out to me, or as shall occur to myself as worthy
of their notice." Jefferson was active in the Albemarle Agri-
cultural Society, organized in 1817 by his neighbors in the county
where some of his own farms were located. He was made a member
of many others because of his help in securing new plants.
 Seed Collections-Jefferson was active during the greater part
of his life in collecting and exchanging seeds and plants with per-
sons abroad. He gathered prized field crops from all over the
world for trial at Monticello. Jefferson also collected domesticated
trees and shrubs, both native and foreign, which were able to with-
stand the Virginia winters. American agriculturists at first looked
to Europe and especially to England for leadership. Many of the
settlers sent to the Old World for plants, animals, implements,
and agricultural information. Jefferson imported not only seeds,
but also the English methods of cultivation and general agricul-
tural practices.