Agricultural History Review, Volume 57 Part 2 (2009), pp. 207–235

James Smithson's bequest to the United States in 1829 to establish an institution in Washington to increase and diffuse knowledge initiated an extended debate in Congress about the use of his legacy. The new nation was largely agricultural and it is not surprising that one of the major proposals was to use a large portion of the funds to establish an agricultural institute along German lines. This led to a broader proposal in Congress, of a more scientific nature, which would have encompassed agriculture. Neither proposal was adopted, but both stimulated and helped shape mid-century debate about the need to improve agricultural education and research. This culminated in federal legislation in 1862 and 1887 as well as complementary state actions. By the turn of the century, a substantial institutional structure was in place at both federal and state levels, which was beginning to have a measurable impact on agricultural productivity and serve as an example for other nations. 

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