9 



individual coming under a sort of authority to look into tlieir affairs. 

 Some from an liabitual distrust of all reports, were unwilling to give 

 any, lest their veracity should be questioned ; and not a few were 

 disinclined to make any statement lest it should raise the valuation 

 and increase their taxes. Many promised full reports, but to his se- 

 vere disappointment, have not fulfilled their promises. 



Notwithstanding all these exceptions, yet among the intelligent, 

 enterprising, and public spirited, as soon as his objects were under- 

 stood, they were seen to be disinterested and for the j)ublic good. 

 Such persons rendered essential aid, and have promised their future 

 co-operation. He has received several valuable reports and com- 

 munications of which he shall avail himself. 



He has deemed it an important part of his duty to collect seeds 

 valuable either for the quality and abundance of their product, or 

 for their early maturity, that he might either furnish the farmers with 

 these approved varieties or put them in the way of supplying them- 

 selves. In this matter he has no view whatever either directly or 

 indirectly to any personal advantage ; but altogether to the advantage 

 of the farmers themselves. 



He has collected several specimens of wheat, barley, Indian corn, 

 buckwheat, teasles and jiotatoes. He has sent to Portugal for a 

 valuable variety of wheat said to ripen in seven weeks ; to Italy for 

 a kind of Indian corn of the flint variety, said to bear four to 

 five ears on a stalk ; to Germany for seeds of teasles much superior 

 to those grown among us, and sold at 100 per cent, advance upon 

 ours ; to Nova Scotia for a kind of oats reputed highly valuable for 

 their weight and not subject to blight ; to New York for potatoes of 

 extraordinary productiveness and for the Siberian and Italian wheat ; 

 and to New Hampshire for early and productive varieties of corn. 

 He is expecting to obtain likewise some seed of a kind of corn which 

 is said to have ripened perfectly on the shores of Lake Superior. 

 He has taken pains likewise to obtain the model of a Scotch bow 

 for harvesting grain of a simple, useful and cheap construction ; and 

 of a drill barrow from Berkshire county, recommended strongly by 

 the same qualities. He has taken measures to procure the best 

 model of a plough, and to get information which he thinks he has 

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