of sheep, without expecting weathers. The poor Farmer is at a
mighty loss to know how weathers can improve or increase the
breed. Truely I am not such a conjurer, as to be able to inform
him; but if you please, my friends, I can give you two pretty good
reasons, why the congress has not excepted weathers. One is,
that for some time, we shall have occasion for all the wool we
can raise; so that it would be imprudent to export sheep of any
kind: and the other is, that, if you confine yourself chiefly to
killing weathers, as you ought to do, you will have none to ex-
port. The gentleman who made the objection, must have
known these things, as well as myself ; but he loves to crack a
jest, and could not pass by so fair an opportunity.

He takes notice of the first of these reasons himself; but in
order to weaken its force, cries, "let me ask you, brother far-
mers, which of you would keep a flock of sheep, barely, for the
sake of their wool?" To this he answers, "not one of you.
If you cannot sell your sheep to advantage, at a certain age, you
cannot keep them to any profit." He thinks, because he calls
you brother farmers, that he can cajole you into believing what
he pleases; but you are not the fools he takes you for. You
know what is for your own interest better than he can tell you.
And we all know, that in a little time, if our affairs be not
settled, the demand for wool will be very great. You will be
able to obtain such a price, as will make it worth your while to
bestow the greatest attention upon your sheep.

In another place, this crafty writer tells you, that, "from
the day our exports, from this province are stopped, the farmers
may date the commencement of their ruin." He asks, "will
the shop-keeper give you his good? will the weaver, shoe-
maker, black-smith, carpenter work for you without pay?" I
make no doubt, you are satsified, from what I have said, that
we shall never have occasion to stop our exports; but if things
turn out contrary to our expectation, and it should become ne-
cessary to take that step, you will find no difficulty in getting
what you want from the merchants and mechanics. They will
not be able to do without you, and, consequently, they cannot
refuse to supply you with what you stand in need of from them.
Where will the merchants and mechanics get food and materials
for clothing, if not from the farmer? And if they are depen-
dent upon you, for those two grand supports of life, how can
they withold what they have from you?