22 Oi-ation delivered before the Agricultural Society. 



the cane. It feems to me, as bees can be increafed in number 

 as far as food will admit, and as honey can be ufed in fo many 

 cafes inftead of fugar, that by due attention to this obje6l, fo 

 much of this wholefome fweetening may be provided, as to 

 lefTcn in a large proportion, the importation of foreign fugar. 



Too much pains cannot be taken to improve the breed of 

 our flieep, particularly as far as refpefts their wool. This great 

 article of clothing, fo feduloufly watched by the Englifh and 

 Spaniards, has been too much neglefted by our citizens. I 

 know of no phyfical reafon why the American ftieep fliould 

 not yield fleeces as large and fine as thofe of Europe. Our 

 manufaftures of broad cloth and other woollen goods will re- 

 quire an increafing fupply of this material, and will foon, I 

 truft, furnifli fuch excellent kinds, that our beaux fiiall take a 

 pride to array themfelves in homefpun. In point of falubrity, 

 I am bold to fay that wool far exceeds linen or cotton, and 

 in our variable climate is fo peculiarly calculated to guard 

 the body againft the viciffitudes of the weather, that eyery va- 

 letudinarian fliould wear flannel to regain his health ; each well 

 perfon to preferve it. A flannel fliirt may be called the palla- 

 dium of health. The fuperior neatnefs of linen in our drefs, is 

 but poorly compenfaled by the unwholefomenefs of it. 



Concerning the whcat-injccl^ I am happy to obferve that 

 it feems to be rather on the decline. Yet fome fields of wheat 

 were much injured by it before winter fat in. It is not impro- 

 bable, that like other plagues of a firailar nature, it has its period. 



