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ADDRESS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY.

DEAR SIR,

Philadelphia, 16th Aug. 1810.

AS chairman of the committee, who were appointed by the PHILADELPHIA LINNEAN SOCIETY, to address the citizens of the United States, on the subject of the natural productions used in the arts and manufactures, I have to request you will have the goodness to insert the accompanying address in your " Archives of Useful Knowledge."

I am extremely well pleased with your useful though arduous undertaking; and from the specimen presented to the public (of your first number) no doubt can be entertained, but that your zeal in the cause of science, and every kind of useful information, will receive the sanction and support of the citizens of the United States.

In truth, sir, to appreciate the value of knowledge, is to know its utility; and no means however simple, can demonstrate this fact, more than that of diffusing information through the channel of a periodical work, by drawing such conclusions, founded on its application to the arts or manufactures, which are more immediately adapted to the subject under consideration. To the man of science, the artist and manufacturer, an extensive field presents itself in our country; indeed, where the productions of nature are numerous, and their uses known, their application to some useful purpose must follow as a natural consequence; the contemplation of which, would arise not merely from motives to gratify the scientific portion of society, but an absolute conviction, that their utility to our country, in the manufacture of a thousand articles, by adding to our wants and comforts as a people, would relieve us from foreign dependance.

If, then, by introducing matter of so important a nature to the public eye, it will tend, and irresistibly impel, our ingenious countrymen to apply such knowledge at least to the improvement of the arts or manufactures, a great point will be gained. In this light I consider the "Observations on Sheep," published in your first number; and having read them with attention, I can do no

less than remark, that they are particularly calculated to excite, not only the attention of the scientific, but of the agricultural reader. The introduction of so valuable a breed, as the Merino, into our country, is a great acquisition. Every means ought to be taken to facilitate their growth and number, as well as the common breed of our country; for we live in the hope, that ere long woollen cloths will be wнOLLY manufactured within ourselves. The conclusion, therefore, would be, that as our country abounds in the most useful productions of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, their application to our immediate wants, will render us independent of Europe, and cause the manufacturing interest ultimately to become that of the commercial.

I am, dear sir,

With sentiments of the highest consideration and esteem,
Your obedient humble servant,

JAMES MEASE, M. D.

JAMES CUTBUSH.

Secretary to the Agricultural Society, &c.

ADDRESS

Of the committee of the Linnean Society of Philadelphia, to the citizens of the United States, on the subject of the natural productions employed in the arts and manufactures.

To every nation, it ought to be an object of the first importance, that it should possess within its limits, the natural productions essential to manufactures and the arts.

A nation, which depends on another for the supply of its necessary wants, or the materials for its labour, cannot be entirely free. It is placed under such disadvantages, that seldom will it dare to maintain its rights against the aggressions of the government which commands its supplies.

A large portion of its citizens, accustomed to consider a foreign nation as the immediate instrument of support, of acquiring wealth, or yielding the enjoyments and conveniences of life, contract forreign partialities and foreign prejudices. They are more connect

ed and more attached by interest to the government, whose trade maintains, whose manufactures clothe, and whose luxuries enervate them, than to that, which gave them birth, gave them independence, gave them freedom. The short suspension of our commerce taught the American people these truths. It exhibited the inconvenience; it did more, it exposed the destructive evils of a dependance on a foreign government for goods of daily and domestic use. It proved that to be free, a people should possess not a government and laws of their own only; but, that they must have their own WORKSHOPS. It showed that freedom consists not in a mere exemption from political subjection, but also from moral servitude.

In viewing the present zeal for the establishment and promotion of manufactures, every patriot's breast must glow with virtuous feeling. The contention, for so it may be termed,-the contention for their establishment, is a strife for the independence of the country. The battles of the revolution broke our chains asunder, but they still cling around us; the spirit for manufactures, is now to cast them from us for ever.

To lend their feeble aid in this important endeavour, is the ambition of the PHILADELPHIA LINNEAN SOCIETY; and they believe they can the better accomplish this object, by directing their researches to the discovery, in this country, of those subjects, which, coming under their notice as a society of natural knowledge, are the objects of commerce and the materials of manufacture.

The list of Articles of the Materia Medica of the United States, is already extensive and important. Many of its contents supersede in the practice of our physicians, the drugs of Europe and Asia. By research and experiments, it no doubt could be greatly enlarged and improved to the advantage of the nation, and benefit of individuals.

Our forests yield some plants, which, as dyes, for brilliancy and permanency of colouring, are not surpassed by any of South America or India; the number is, however, small, and the of hues confined.

* See Barton's Collection towards a Materia Medica

range

Our country is prolific of some metals. Yet antimony and mercury are unknown as its productions. Arsenic, cobalt, copper, and the precious metals, have been found in such small quantities or peculiar states, as to render them little valuable or useful.

There can be no reason why all these metals should not exist abundantly in this country. There is every probability they do. The rocks, which are their gangues in other countries, in our own are generally diffused. It is indeed no stretch of credulity to believe that their ores are every day trodden under foot, turned up by the plough or spade, and thrown away or regarded as useless, from ignorance of their value. Similar cases have been known; of which the following may be cited:

Black jack, an ore of zinc, now largely employed in the making of brass, a few years past was used in Wales, for mending the roads; and the cobalt ores of Hesse, which now yield a neat profit of 14,000 pounds sterling per annum, were formerly employed for the same purpose.

.*

If ignorance should have caused, in Europe, at a late period, such a misapplication of valuable and productive ores, how very probable is it, that in this country, where hardly one in a thousand has a superficial acquaintance even with their appearance, that they may be in the hands of hundreds; may be used for common purposes constantly, and their importance never suspected.

It has happened, that valuable ores have remained unworked, to national and individual injury, from a just diffidence in the proprietors of expending their money fruitlessly, as they could not obtain a knowledge of their nature and richness.

Others again, deceived by appearances or the false representations of designing men, have disbursed considerable sums, and wasted much time in the useless search for metals, when a metallurgist would at once have pronounced that no ore existed, or it was one too poor to be profitable.†

* Watson's Chemical Essays, vol. 1st, page 45.

This has actually happened. A company was recently formed to work a copper mine, and many thousand dollars expended in the apparatus preparatory to commencing work. Upon examining the ore, Mr.Godon, of Philadel

To assist, therefore, in obtaining a full knowledge of the medicinal and dying drugs indigenous to our soil; to expedite the discovery of useful metals; to aid the manufactures of their country, as far as they are connected therewith; and to remove the inconveniences and disadvantages of individuals not possessing an acquaintance with natural knowledge, the Linnean Society of Philadelphia has directed the undersigned committee to give this public notice, that any plants, ores, or any mineral substance whatever, which shall be forwarded to any member of the committee, shall be examined by the botanical and mineralogical departments of the society. The result of the examination shall be communicated, as soon as completed, to the person transmitting such specimens, together with such other information relative to its nature and uses, which the society can impart.

Chinese and Japanese Soy
But the high price of the
Hence it has always been

THE agreeable flavour which the communicates to fish is well known. article confines its use to few persons. an object to discover the peculiar mode of preparing it. Several processes, particularly those by Professor Beckman, M. Ekeberg, and by Sir Tilloch, have been published; which have been copied into various periodical publications, and Encyclopedias.

It will be seen however, that the following method, carries internal evidence of coming nearer to the truth than any other, and is therefore recommended to our readers. The Editor has the satisfaction to assure them, that the Bean, Deliches Soya, bears the cli

phia, persuaded them to abandon the project, the ore being of that kind, which repeated experience in Europe had proved, would not repay the labour necessary to smelt it. EDITOR.