i8 Oration delivered hefore the Agricultural Society. 



nefticut. The Legiflature of New- York, during the lad feffions, 

 "were liberal enough to offer a reward to the fuccefsful propa- 

 gator of them. There is therefore little need of expatiating 

 on a fubjeft already recommended by its own utility, and by 

 leo-iQative fanftion. I fliall only remark, the trees are afforded 

 to purchafers at fo low a price, and the filk-worms can be fed 

 and attended at fo little expencc, that there feems fufficient 

 inducement to undertake the bufinefs, even without the incen- 

 tive of the bounty. 



The raangel-wurtzel, or root of fcarcity, feems not to have 

 fucceeded among us in a degree equal to the charafter given 

 of it by the French and Englifli writers. It is therefore doubt- 

 ful whether we fhall ever be much benefitted by the introdu6lion 

 of this plant. It is to be wifhed, however, that a plant of which 

 fo much has been favorably faid, may not be abandoned with- 

 out full and convincing experiments of its inutility in American 

 hufbandry. 



Much greater profit may be expected from the potatoe, 

 which feems better adapted to our climate, and has been 

 greatly improved within thirty years. It ought to be particu- 

 larly attended to in planting them, that the cuttings be made 

 from thofe of the largeft fize, or ratiier that whole ones, with- 

 out any div fion whitever, be planted to raife a crop from. I 

 mention this the more particularly, becaufe it is too common a 

 cudom to allot the largcfl roots to the kitchen, and relerve the 

 fmaller ones for the field. It is furprifing what difference 



