AN ABDllESS, &C. XXlii 



whether tending to shew an improved mode of cultivation, 

 or to point out injuries which may have occurred from his 

 adoption of measures or crops, either from necessity, inat- 

 tention, or hy way of experiment. By the first measure, 

 those less informed than himself will be instructed, and by 

 the latter, erroneous steps will be avoided. The good that 

 may be thus done is so obvious, that to dwell on it is unne- 

 cessary. And here let me urge the importance of farmers 

 noting even single facts, as soon as possible after their oc- 

 currence; let them not trust to memory for the preserva- 

 tion of auy useful remark, until a number are collected, for 

 memory is treacherous; and after a lapse of time, some par" 

 ticulars may be omitted upon which the utility of the re- 

 cord may depend; thus he may be the unwilling agent of 

 leading others into error, the discovery of which will here- 

 after give every conscientious man pain. Death may also in- 

 tervene between the occurrence of the remark and its re- 

 cord, by delay: whereas by speedily communicating the 

 fact, the desirable object of spreading information quickly 

 will be obtained. Let them also not be deterred from com- 

 municating, by the consideration of the supposed poverty of 

 their materials for a paper, or from being unused to writing: 

 a single fact will be acceptable, in any style, and will claim a 

 preference to theoretical disquisitions; for too many of these 

 have already been published by theoretical men which have 

 misled others of a similar cast, who in all countries have 

 engaged in the attractive employment of agriculture. We 

 want facts noted in the field by men who handle the plough, 

 or who personally superintend the work of their servants; 

 and of such a complexion I am happy to think with only one 

 or iwo exceptions, will the papers in the volumes of our soci- 

 ety be found to consist. The agriculturalists of the United 

 States, while they exhibit a commendable reluctance inlay- 



