No. 133.] 365 



proof of these cases, of (he deposit of the seeds or Iheir finding, 

 at the opening of the place of their deposits, is insufficient and 

 inadequately established. I am not ready to believe, at this day, 

 in this class of miraculous discoveries. May I not allude to the 

 wheat now constantly found in and brought from the Catacombs 

 ot Egypt, and sent to this country, after having been there in de- 

 posit from two thousand to four thousand years, and found here 

 readily to vegetate. Proof of the finding at the first opening of 

 the catacombs was omitted to be sent with the wheat. It is 

 a known rule of political economy, that demand procures supply. 

 Where is the traveller, in the districts of antiquity, that does not 

 know the ready merchandize of antique medals, coins and 

 relics of all sorts — manufactured for the occasion, in every city of 

 Europe. It was in 1799 or in 1800, that the French army went 

 into Egypt. They were attended by a corps of eminent Savans, 

 to note and record all discoveries then made. I am not aware 

 that on the opening of the catacombs, wheat was found then so 

 readily to germinate. I am more willing to believe that wheat 

 or other seeds may have been deposited there during the last fif- 

 ty years, for the purpose of being found as an article of merchan- 

 dize like the medals, &c. I am not prepared to believe in these 

 modern miracles without proof more decisive. A word more, as 

 to the ancient wheat. It is an easy matter to discolor modern 

 wheat and give it all the appearance of antiquity, to make good 

 true mummy wheat (apparently) and it satisfies the curious — is 

 made merchandize of and is transmitted to foreign countries. 



Mr. Fleet did not think that any doubt attached to the state- 

 ments just read by the Secretary. 



General Tallmadge said that he took pleasure in receiving all 

 faithful communications like that of Mr. Dawling, relative to the 

 famed potato malady. The Massachusetts Agricultural Associa- 

 tion has published numerous articles from farmers, &c., with all 

 their experiments — but it seems to have been without the attain- 

 ment of any useful conclusion. Accident may reveal what all 

 our science and industry cannot reach. And in fact, the pota- 

 toes of this year are happily untouched for the most part by that 

 lamentable, incurable disease. The fact is that we hastily culti- 



