M 
PREFACE, 
page. On perusal it will be seen that very little 
borrowed matter has been admitted ; such it was 
considered would too much exclude what was ori¬ 
ginal and esteemed of sufficient merit to be pre¬ 
sented to the public. It will not be amiss in this 
place to observe, that communications of any use¬ 
ful discoveries will always be thankfully received | 
and gentlemen, whether belonging to the society or 
not, who are disposed to make experiments in agri¬ 
culture, or who may be so fortunate as to become 
acquainted with any thing original that may pro¬ 
mise to be productive of a public benefit, are invit¬ 
ed to impart them to the society. 
For the patronage of the state the gratitude of 
the public is due, but it is regretted that this pa¬ 
tronage has not been extended so far as to confer 
the ability of accamplishing designs which aim at 
more extensive iisefaloess t/han has yet been attain¬ 
ed : Still it is hoped, that, eniulating those wise 
governments which have considered it the best po¬ 
licy to assist, v/ilh adequate means, the eitorfs of its 
individual or associated subjects, engaged in plans 
for promoting the public good, our legislature will 
not deem it impolitic profligacy to permit a trifle of 
its vast revenue 'tO' be employed for purposes ac¬ 
knowledged to be essential to the prosperity of a 
nation. It has long been contemplated to attach to 
the society so much soil as would suffice for agri¬ 
cultural experiments. The uses of such an acqui¬ 
sition need not to be detailed, they will spontane- 
