Oration delivered before the Agricultural Society. 21 



Perhaps a confiderable faving might be made in the annual 

 fexpence of a farm, by the fubftitution of mules inftead of 

 horfes. Thefe creatures live upon lefs and coarfer food than 

 horfes, bear more drudgery and hardfhip, and live to a greater 

 age. What but an ignorance of the laborious fervice they are 

 capable of undergoing, hinders the breeding of them? 



The rejeftion of the labour of oxen, and the employment 

 of that voracious and expenfive animal the horfe, is in too 

 many places, a matter of ferious regret. To carry on the 

 work of a great plantation by horfe-labour, without the aflift- 

 iance of oxen, is perhaps one of the worft pieces of American 

 hufbandry. Yet how frequently may we fee large farms mana- 

 ged in no other way ! 



Bees ought to be more commonly raifed than we find them. 

 At a fmall expence they may be increafed to any number. 

 And what is particularly worthy of notice in their hiflory is this, 

 that all the produ6lof their induftry is clear gain, fince the wax 

 and honey are extra6led from flowers, without any damage 

 or lofs to the land or its proprietor, and if not thus faved, 

 would irrecoverably perifh. It is alfo true, that cultivated 

 lands, abounding with clover and buckwheat, afford food for 

 very great numbers of them. Therefore, that ftate of agricul- 

 ture which is bed adapted to our convenience and comfort, is 

 at the fame time moft fuitable to the multiplication of thefe in- 

 fers. On account of the dcarnefs of fugar, it mull be very 

 advantageous to raife bees, becaufe honey in many parts of 

 domellic oeconomy, is an excellent fubllitute for the produQ of 



