intional injunction, " encourage private societies and 

 public institutions, by rewards and innnunitics for the 

 promotion of agriculture and manufactures." Hold- 

 ing the responsible station which your favor has as- 

 signed, it is an incumbent duty, annually, to present 

 this subject for public consideration ; and it is not a 

 less imperious duty, on the members of tliis institu- 

 tion to cherish these sentiments, and to diffuse them a- 

 f^road amongst the people, that the Vvhole community 

 may be awakened to a sense of their condition and fu- 

 ture prospects. 



The duties of the day require me to review the e- 

 vents and transactions which have happened since the 

 foundation of the society, that relate to agriculture and 

 nianufctctures, the legitimate objects of the inslitution. 

 In executing this task, I shall be allowed by your in- 

 dulgence to ask your attention to such topics as con- 

 cern the general welfare of this institution, rather thi.ij 

 to details of rural management, if we had t!ic leis- 

 ure to prepare an appropriate lecture on the composi- 

 tion of our soils ; on experiments to ascertain their 

 native fitness for various modes of cultivation, an4 

 crops ; on the nature vnd preparation of njanures ; 

 on the rearing and managing of our domestic animals j 

 on the means of rer.dering farms more fruitful ; on 

 the various species of sustenance composing the ve- 

 getable creation ; on the planting, rearing and preser- 

 vation of fruit and forest trees ; on materials for man- 

 ufactures and tiie measures to promote them, it might 

 well be doubted whether this he a fit occasion for such 

 a display. Jiespect for my audience, and sir.cere con- 

 cern for the v^'cifare of the vSocicty, induce me to omit 

 these topics, and devote myself to other considerations 

 which the crisis imperiously demands. 



Gentlem.en of tlie Societv, yon will allow rne ta 

 remark, that the details alluded to constitute the ap- 

 propriate employmen.t of the Society, on occasions 

 expressly assigned for corporate meeti:igs ; and you 

 will permit me to add, that a sense ol duty and an cn- 

 lighiened zeal for our cause, demand a belter orgunir 



