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LETTERS 



FRO.M HIS EXCELLENCY 



GEORGE WASHINGTON, 



TO 



ARTHUR YOUXGj ESQ., F. R. S., 



aXD 



SIR JOHX SIXCLAIRj BART. M. P. 



CONT.tlNING 

 AIV ACCOUNT OF HIS HUSBANDRY, 



Hi» opinions on various qui^.stions in Asrricnltuio!, and 

 Many particulars of tlie Rural Economy of tba 



ua'itf:d statks. 



PREFACE 



TO THE FAR3IERS' REGISTER EDlTIOrV. 



The correspondence contained in the following 

 paires would have been hiirhly interesting to in- 

 telli<ieiit agriculturist?, even though for no other 

 rea.son, than its presenting the interchange of opin- 

 ion? and views on agriculture, of such men as 

 Washington, Younij, Sinclair. Jefl'erson, and Pe- 

 ters. Still more precious are these letters, because 

 not written for publication; and therefore, being 

 as plain, as much without pretension and reserve, 

 as would be expected of mere fiirmers, correspond- 

 ing under the existing circumstances. The lapse 

 of time, which lessens or destroj-s the value of 

 eo many publications, has served to increase the 

 interest of these letters: and as the earlier editions 

 have long been out of print, in this country, and 

 the existing copies in private hands have probably 

 been seen by but a small portion of the present 

 generation, it was thought that it would be render- 

 ing an acceptable service to the readers of the 

 Farmers' Register, and to the American public, 

 to publish the edition now offered in this form. 



PREFACE 



TO THE ENGLISH AND FIRST EDITION. 



To the Public. 

 The circumstance which occasioned the corres- 

 pondence now printed, was an applicaiion made to 

 tne for a bailiff to send to General Washington, 

 and the information 1 then received, that the gen- 

 eral was extremely fond of agriculture, and had 

 been unfortunate in several people, in the line of 

 husbandry, that had been sent to him from Eng- 

 land. I was hurt at hearing this, and wrote to 

 offer him any assistance in his farming pursuits, 

 that might be in my power. He readily accepted 

 the offer; which produced the following letters. 

 Vol. V— 41 



That they will prove interesting to the public, I 

 have little doubt; not merely (roni the great celeb- 

 rily of the writer, but by reason of many [.particu- 

 lars they contain, descriptive of the United States: 

 of the authenticity and accuracy of these, there 

 cannot be the smallest doubt; and few countries 

 have been described in so satisfliciory a manner as 

 the central states, in this correspondence. 



With whatever view fUe letters niay be read, it 

 must be a pleasing spectacle to a reHecting mind, 

 to see so close an attention paid to the practice of 

 ao'ricultiire, by men in the highest situations; who, 

 from commanding armies, and presiding in senates, 

 can descend to the humbler walk of husbandry, 

 and find it an employment sufficient to interest the 

 most splendid talents; and an amusement that can 

 animate the best affections of the iieart. 



[A. Y.] 



Sir: 



LETTERS, &c.,&c. 

 Mount Vernon, 5ih of August, 1786. 



Arthur Younji, esq,, of Bury, in Suffolk, hav- 

 ing been so obliginir as to offer to procure for me, 

 implements of husbandry, seeds, &.c., I have ac- 

 cepted his kindness with much ()ieasure, becaupe 

 he is a competent judire ol" the first, and will be 

 carefiil that the latter are good of their several 

 kinds; a thing of much conse{iuence, and which 

 does not often happen with seeds imported into 

 this country I'mm Europe. 



I have requested him to forward these articles 

 to vourcare, and draw upon you lor the amount. 

 Let me entreat your particular attention to them, 

 with a request that the captain of the vessel on 

 hoard of which they are shipped, may be solicited 

 to keep the seeds in the cabin, or out of the ship's 

 hold, at any rate, as they never fail to heat and 

 spoil when put there. I am, sir, 



Your most obedient humble servant, 



G. Washington. 

 Wakelin Welch, esq. 



Mount Vermm, 6ih of August, 1786. 

 Sir: 



I have had the honor to receive yourletferof the 

 seventh of .lanuary, from Bradfield Hall, in Suf- 

 folk, and thank you for the favor of opening a cor- 

 respondence, the advantages of which will be so 

 much in my favor. 



Agriculture has ever been amongst the most fa- 

 vorite anuipements of my life, though I never pos- 

 sessed much skill in the art; and nine years total 

 inattention to it, has added nothing to a knowledire 

 which is best understood liom practice; but with 

 the means you have been so obliging as to furni-^h 

 me, I shall return to it (thoufrh rather late in the 

 day) with hope and confidence. 



The system of agriculture (if the epithet of sys- 

 tem; can be applied to it,) which is in use in this» 



