C vii ] 



LETTER of the Agricultural Society to the Friends 

 cn^ Promoters o/" Rural Economy, 



(Circular.) 



Gentlemen, 



TOURING the late feflions of the Legiflature, a number of 

 -*^-^ gentlemen, as well private citizens as members of the two 

 Houfes, aflbciated for the purpofe of promoting by their 

 united labours the progrefs of Agriculture, Arts and Manu- 

 factures in this ftate. It appeared evident to diem, that by direft- 

 ing the attention of all clafTes of people to the obfervance of 

 fa6ts, and by inviting communications to the fociety from every 

 perfon who had the leifure and capacity to make them, a 

 valuable colleftion of knowledge would be obtained if each 

 obferver would contribute his mite. Nor was it lefs manifeft, 

 that works of mere ingenuity, effays upon fpeculative and 

 abftraft fubje6ls, and perforuiiinces intended to difplay litera- 

 ture and erudition, came not within the fcope of diis inftitution ; 

 its humbler, and as they believed, its more ufeful intention, is 

 to fupply the wants and relieve the neceffities of mankind, and 

 thereby to render human life more comfortable ; to multiply the 

 productions of the land, to fhorten or facilitate the toils of the 

 labourer, and to excite a fpirit of honeft induftry, whereby riches 

 may become more abundant ; and by inculcating the importance 

 of ordinary and common things, and of praClical every-day 

 trudis — to ftore their underflandin^s with folid knowledge j fo 



