38 The Agricultural Papers of George Washington 



TO ARTHUR YOUNG 



Mount Vernon, 1 November, 1787. 

 Sir, 



Your favor of the 1st of February came to hand about 

 the middle of May last. An absence of more than four 

 months from home, will be the best apology I can make for 

 my silence till this time. 



The grain, grass seeds, ploughs, &c., arrived at the same 

 time, agreeably to the list; but some of the former were in 

 jured, as will always be the case, by being put into the hold 

 of the vessel; however, upon the whole, they were in much 

 better order than those things are generally found to be, 

 when brought across the Atlantic. 



I am at a loss, Sir, how to express the sense which I have 

 of your particular attention to my commissions, and the 

 very obliging manner in which you offer me your services 

 in any matters relating to agriculture, that I may have to 

 transact in England. If my warmest thanks will in any mea 

 sure compensate for these favors, I must beg you to accept 

 of them. I shall always be exceedingly happy to hear from 

 you, and shall very readily and cheerfully give you any 

 information relative to the state of agriculture in this 

 country, that I am able. 



I did myself the honor to hand the set of &quot; Annals &quot; to the 

 Agricultural Society in Philadelphia, which you sent to that 

 body through me. The president wrote a letter to you, 

 expressive of the sense they entertained of the favor which 

 you did them; and mentioned therein the effects of some ex 

 periments which had been made with plaster of Paris as a 

 manure. I intended to have given you an account of it my 

 self, as I find the subject is touched upon in your &quot; Annals,&quot; 

 but this letter has precluded the necessity of it. 



