XXXVI INTRODUCTION.

tions, without revifal or corrections, were jn- {tantly forwarded to the board, under cover, ad- dreffed to the prefident, and were accompanied. by a letter, ftating that I had loft no time in com- plying with the withes of the board re{pecting the fubjeét of potatoes, and that the papers which accompanied that letter, contained what appeared neceflary for me to. fay on that head. But I added, that thefe remarks were intended folely for the ufe of the members of the board itfelf, and“were not intended to be publifed.” This I forbade in the moft pofitive manner; and even requefted that the board would be fo kind

as not to mention my name in any publication-

they might think proper to make on that fubjedt; defiring that the papers might be returned to me after the members of the board had fatisfied them- felves with regard to them. So anxious was| that this requifition fhould not be forgotten, that I mentioned it no lefs than three times, in as many different letters I had afterwards occa. fion to write to Sir John Sinclair; and as the franks had been reduced in weight before the laft letter was written, I defired him, with a view to avoid the trouble of addrefling fo many covers as it would then require, to fend the M. S. to my fon in London, who would take care to get it

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