22 The Agricultural Papers of George Washington 



furnish me, I shall return to it, though rather late in the 

 day, with more alacrity than ever. 



The system of agriculture, if it deserves the epithet of 

 system, which is in use in this part of the United States, is 

 as unproductive to the practitioners, as it is ruinous to the 

 landholders. Yet it is pertinaciously adhered to. To for 

 sake it; to pursue a course of husbandry, which is alto 

 gether different, and new to the gazing multitude, ever 

 averse to novelty in matters of this sort, and much attached 

 to the customs of their forefathers, requires resolution, and, 

 without a good practical guide, may be dangerous ; because, 

 of the many volumes which have been written on this subject, 

 few have been founded on experimental knowledge; are ver 

 bose, contradictory, and bewildering. Your &quot; Annals,&quot; there 

 fore, shall be this guide. The plan on which they are pub 

 lished gives them a reputation, which inspires confidence ; and 

 for the favor of sending them to me, I pray you to accept 

 my very best acknowledgments. To continue them will add 

 much to the obligation. 



To evince with what avidity and with how little reserve I 

 embrace the polite and friendly offer you have made, of 

 supplying me with &quot; men, cattle, tools, seeds, or any thing 

 else that may add to my rural amusements,&quot; I will give you the 

 trouble, Sir, of providing, and sending to the care of Wakelin 

 Welch, of London, merchant, the following articles. 



Two of the simplest and best constructed ploughs for 

 land, which is neither very heavy nor sandy ; to be drawn by 

 two horses ; to have spare shares and coulters ; and a mould, 

 on which to form new irons, when the old ones are worn out, 

 or will require repairing. I will take the liberty to observe, 

 that some years ago, from a description or recommendation 

 thereof, which I had somewhere met with, I sent to Eng 

 land for what was then called the Rotherham or patent 



