For a while your knowledge in this branch of science, must be acquired by reading, observation and experiments; for as yet no societies or schools have been established for cultivating, or teaching it in the United States.

In all other countries, it has accompanied the advanced stages of civilization. In Greece and Rome, the necessity of offering such animals only in sacrifice, as were perfectly sound, added to the motives for taking care of their health. The Arabians cultivated veterinary medicine with nearly the same zeal that they did the medicine of the human body. In France and Germany the health of domestic animals, has for many years been a part of the studies of regular bred physicians. In St. Domingo, a society called the "Philadelphians," was established many years ago, consisting chiefly of physicians, whose principal business was to investigate and cure, what they called epizootic diseases, that is the diseases of domestic animals. They favoured the world with one valuable publication upon them, before the civil war in that island put an end both to their labours and their name.

A veterinary school has been lately established in London, under the patronage of some of the most respectable noblemen, private gentlemen, and physicians in the British nation. Already it has diffused a great deal of knowledge through Great Britain, particularly of the diseases of the horse. Of this knowledge, a considerable portion has fallen to the share of the farmers and farriers, much to the advantage of that noble animal!*

While I lament the want of a veterinary institution in our country, I am happy in an opportunity of mentioning that the diseases of domestic animals have not escaped the notice of the agricultural society of Philadelphia. They have recommended the study of them in strong terms, in their late address to the physicians and citizens of the United States; and it would be an act of injustice not to acknowledge, that it was in consequence of the excellent remarks contained in the part of the address to which I have alluded, being impressed upon me with peculiar force by the enlightened and patriotic president* of that society, that I was led to select the interesting subject of our lecture for the present occasion.

But in vain will be the efforts of public bodies, and private individuals to disseminate veterinary knowledge in our country without a provision for regular and oral instruction upon it.

From the public spirit of the trustees of our University, and particularly from their disposition to promote every branch of science connected with medicine, there is reason to believe, that it is only necessary to lay be'ore them the advantages of a veterinary chair, in order to insure its establishment.

Should the subject of the diseases of domestic animals, be connected with instruction upon the principles of agriculture, and implements of husbandry, so as to constitute what is called in some European universities, "economics," or a system of rural economy, it would orm a still more useful branch of education, not only for physicians, but for private gentlemen. I have lived to see the medical school of Phila delphia emerge from small beginnings, and gradually advance to its present flourishing condition, but I am not yet satisfied with its prosperity and fame, nor shall I be so, until I see the veterinary science taught in our University.

One of the patriots and heroes of the American revolution, who died suddenly a few years ago, in his barn yard, said with his last breath to his servant who stood by him, "take care of the creatures." Nearly in the same words which dic tated this kind direction, I shall conclude this lecture. TAKE

MEMOIRS

OF THE

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

OF

PHILADELPHIA.

On Sheep. By John D. Steele, near Downing Town, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Read June 11th, 1805.

THE illustrious Buffon has very justly observed, that "the sheep is an animal to man the most valuable, its utility the most immediate and extensive; it alone satisfies wants of the greatest necessity, it furnishes both food and apparel, besides the advantages arising from the skin, suet, milk, entrails, bones, and dung of this creature, to which nature seems to have given nothing as its property; all is to be delivered up to man." To this splendid catalogue of the valuable properties of sheep, an additional item may be placed, which enhances their value in a high degree to the farmers of Pennsylvania; viz. many of the weeds that disfigure their fields in autumn, furnish sheep with agreeable and nutritive food; few are refused by them, and rag-weed, (Ambrosia elatior,) they eat with avidity. This last advantage seems not sufficiently appreciated by the generality of

M

farmers, though the benefits that would result to them from keeping sheep where these weeds prevail, is too obvious to admit of illustration; whence it may be safely inferred, that the small quantity of sheep kept in Pennsylvania, is a misfortune and mistake in the rural economy of the State, that cannot be too much regretted, nor too speedily removed.

But there are many objections almost uniformly advanced against keeping sheep, by those who are unfriendly to the practice; one of which is the injury they do to pasture, and particularly, to young clover, by biting it too close to the ground, and by leaving it exposed to the too powerful influence of the sun and frost. Another is, the quantity of grass they consume, which it is contended is comparatively much greater than is eaten by other animals; and a third, is the danger they are exposed to, from the nocturnal depredations of dogs.

I admit there is much plausibility in the first objection, but experience has taught me to doubt its solidity. I have not thought it prudent to suffer any kind of cattle to go into clover early in the spring, when the roots are loosened by the recently departed frost; but at every other season my experience forbids me to think sheep injurious to pasture.

For the last six years, I have been in the practice of feeding large flocks of sheep, and have generally eaten the young clover in my stubbles very bare with them; but never found the succeeding crops perceptibly injured thereby, though they were frequently kept in the fields till the verge of winter.