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Plan for establishing a Manufactory of Agricultural Iiu 

 struments ; and a Warehouse and Repository for re* 

 ceiving and vending them. By Richard Peters. 



I have long seen, and desired to remedy, the defects in 

 the agricultural instruments, in common use throughout 

 our country. If any are found (as many of the common 

 implements are) either intrinsically good, or on a valu« 

 able and efficient plan, they are not easily multiplied, 

 or readily obtained. The workmanship is often faith*" 

 lessly performed; and the materials are frequently 

 worthless. If a mechanick is celebrated for his skill, ancj 

 and succeeds in the execution of any particular article, 

 he has more demands than he can fairly supply ; and is, 

 too often, seduced into negligence and forfeiture of 

 character, by using unseasoned timber and other infe- 

 rior materials, and slighting his work, to encrease ov 

 support his business and profit. And yet, in general^ 

 the farming utensils and implements in our state are, 

 as I believe, superior to any others in the United 

 States. Few workmen, with the JDest inclinations, have 

 opportunities of seeing perfect models ; either of new 

 instruments, or of improvements on those already in 

 use. No manufactory of agricultural instruments in gene* 

 ral, exists ; and much embarrassment, delay and diffi- 

 culty, are found in the collection from various and dis^ 

 tant places, and from workmen of various character and 

 capacity, of all the implements of husbandry required 

 for even common operations. The inventions of inge- 

 iiious men of our own country, are, for the most part, 

 confined to narrow districts where they are used ; and 



VOL. II, t 



