PREFACE. 



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country Is capable of producing; what improvements may be made 

 in agriculturcj farming, gardening, &c. The beft methods of manu- 

 I'ing land, of reftoring foils, that are worn out, and of protccTting 

 and guarding our fruits, trees, plants, and grains, from worms, in- 

 fe(5ls andblafts; how to improve the breed of ufeful animals, and 

 introduce other fpecies from foreign countries j how to preferve our 

 timber for fhip-building and other purpofcs, and to increafe the mod 

 valuable forts, the beO; time for felling and the beft method of fea- 

 foningit; what are the virtues and ufcs of the many plants, &c- 

 which this country produces; what exotics or medicinal plants may 

 be introduced, and the befb method of propagating the moA: ufeful 

 of them; what new vegetable juices may be difcovcred, and the bell 

 way of managing them; what improvements may be made in the 

 art of fermentation, making of wine, cydci', vinegar. Sec. the cheap- 

 eft and bell: methods of making highways, caufcways and bridgesj 

 joining of rivers, and increaflng our inland navigation. 



But it is not propofed to confine the views of the Society, wholly, 

 to thefe things, fo as to exclude other ufeful fubjefts, either in phyfics, 

 mechanics, aftronomy, mathematics, Sec, 



The means of conveying knowledge are now become eafy. Print- 

 ing houfes are eretSled in all the principal towns on the continent, an 

 regular pofts eflabliflicd to carry letters and papers from one to ano- 

 ther. Philadelphia^ (the place where this Society meets) hath, by 



its central fituation, not only a ready communication by land, with 

 our continental-colonies; but likewifc with our lilands, by velTe Is 

 employed in carrying on our trade. Befides, hints thrown out in 

 our public circulating papers are not lofl, as in this country, almoft 

 every man is fond of reading, and feemsto have a thirftfor knowledge. 



The Society are very fenfible how unequal they are to the taflc of 

 carrying into execution a plan of fo exteniive a nature. But they 

 hope the ufefulnefs of it will procure them the countenance and afllil- 

 ance of every man who wilhes well to his country. 



There are nmny gentlemen in different parts of the country, whom 

 Providence hath bleffcd with affluence, and whofe underftanding is - 

 improved by a liberal education. From fuch the Society promife 

 thernfelvcs great affiilancc, as their fortunes enable them to make 

 experiments, which men of narrow circumftances would not dare to 

 attempt. The farmers employed in cultivating the lands are intel- 

 ligent and fenfible, capable of obfervation, and of making many ufe- 

 ful experiments. From thefe we fhall thankfully receive every hint 

 and pra6llcal obfervation, relative to the improvement of their farms,., 

 the culture of trees and grain, the raifing of flock, <bc. As amonff 



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