368 



Speech by Dr. Hirzel — Pickle or Brine 



Vol. IY. 



modern purposes of utility; for there you 

 have the motive power, which by suitable 

 machinery might be applied horizontally or 

 vertically, and to considerable extent. Two 

 or three of these machines, working alter- 

 nately, would give a continuous motion, and 

 might be made to reel silk or cotton, or even 

 blow a blast to a smelting furnace. The 

 force of that of which I am now speaking, 

 exerts a power of three hundred pounds. 



But my intention was to recommend, for 

 the fabrication of all wood-work situated 

 below the water, for this and other like pur- 

 poses, the beech, as far more lasting than 

 white oak, which is, I think, generally se- 

 lected for this purpose. I have known it 

 placed in the bottom of sluices and mill- 

 ponds, as pipes and trunks, where it has 

 remained for very many years undecayed ; 

 and I have seen it taken up for examination, 

 and returned as sound as when first placed. 

 I believe it is generally known that the beech 

 tree is to be found growing near springs, and 

 often with its roots submerged in the water, 

 flourishing greatly. 



Subscriber. 



Speech by Dr. Hirzel, 



Before the first Agricultural Meeting in Switzerland, 

 .1763. 



I have never in my life experienced a satis- 

 faction equal to v/hati am sensible of at this 

 agreeable moment, when I behold men of 

 ■worth in the city and the country unite their 

 common endeavours for the public benefit ; 

 and you, my friends from the country, must 

 now be convinced that all our views centre in 

 the discovery of such methods as may tend to 

 augment the prosperity of our republic, by 

 giving fresh vigour to the industry and ac- 

 tivity of our labours, and endeavouring to 

 instruct in the most certain rules for culti- 

 vating and improving the fertility of the soil. 

 We have intelligence from all parts of the 

 globe, from men of talents most likely to 

 instruct us by their experience, and those of 

 us whose circumstances will allow it, in 

 order to be more sure, confirm this by trials 

 of their own. I see we are all animated 

 with the same zeal, and I expect the most 

 happy effects to result from it for the gene- 

 ral good of our beloved country ; and, in 

 fact, it is on you, my country friends, on 

 whom the success of all our inquiries de- 

 pends ; all speculation will be fruitless, un- 

 less you perform your parts ; it depends on 

 your endeavours to render this a happy and 

 a flourishing country, and your virtues, your 

 candour, are a sure guarantee of your acqui- 

 escence ; and you will then have earned the 

 glorious title of benefactors to your country ; 

 you will then demonstrate that the occupa- 



tion of the husbandman is, in its conse- 

 quences, the most important and honourable 

 of all that are exercised in civil society, and 

 at the same time the most agreeable and 

 satisfactory to fulfil ; for what can be more 

 pleasing than a perpetual contemplation of 

 the works of the Creator, while breathing 

 the pure air, and confirming the health of the 

 body by exercise and labour, and beholding 

 a happy fertility, the reward of care and 

 diligence ! What employment can be more 

 easy to fulfil than that where the greatest part 

 of the success depends upon a mail's own con- 

 duct? and how unfortunate in this respect 

 are those who spend much time and care to 

 render their ideas acceptable to others ; and 

 what a number of efforts must be made and 

 obstacles surmounted before we can introduce 

 them into practice, or reap the least advan- 

 tage from our exertions I Continue then, 

 my excellent friends, to second us with all 

 your might; give us your confidence and 

 friendship, and you shall see us, in our turn, 

 do every thing in our power to convince you 

 of our sincere regard, and to render of gen- 

 eral use the maxims which we have learned 

 from books, from experiments, and from 

 your conversation ; and may this union of 

 interests procure for our country all those 

 blessings which there is reason to Expect 

 from it. 



Pickle, or Briue> 



Salt water is much heavier than fresh, 

 and as brine is always weakest at the upper 

 part of the vessel or cask that contains it, 

 in order to keep it of an uniform saturation, 

 a wooden lattice-work frame, of such size 

 as to be easily let into the inside of the reser- 

 voir, is sunk an inch or two under the surface 

 of the brine, for the purpose of suspending 

 upon it lumps of one or two pounds, or larger, 

 of solid salt, which eflfectually saturate the 

 upper strata of the pickle, and thus the brine 

 will be continued of the utmost strength so 

 long as any part of the lumps remain undis- 

 solved. 



" Manure is the capital on which farmers 

 do business; and the man who teaches them 

 how to obtain it at a reasonable rate, and in 

 sufficient quantities, does the public better 

 service than if he lectured the live-long day 

 on copper and silver mines, and amused the 

 sleepy hours with golden dreams." 



If a man doubles the number of his acres, 

 and employs only the same number of hands 

 upon it as when he had only the half of it, 

 his profits will be less than they were when 

 he had half the quantity of land. 



