Prof. J. A. Nash in the chair.

November 4, 1862.

TRUFFLES ARE THERE ANY IN THIS COUNTRY?

Prof. Mapes called the attention of members, and he hoped through the published proceedings of the meeting to call the attention of people all over the country, to the subject of truffles, so far as to ascertain if there are any to be found upon this side of the Atlantic. He said that it was only within a comparatively short period that they were discovered in England. Formerly they were imported from the continent-now there is a home supply. We import about $12,000 worth a year, and they are retailed in this city at $1 a pound, and are used. in cooking as a flavoring substance. One of the peculiarities about truffles is that they do not appear to have either root or stem. Gathering them is quite a business in France, Italy and Germany, and it is possible it may become so in this country. If they were more plenty and cheaper the consumption would be greatly increased. It is very large in Paris, but they cannot be artificially produced, as mushrooms are.

The Secretary read the following account of the truffle from Bryant's Flora Dietetica, a history of esculent plants:

"The truffle is a solid fungus of a globular figure, and grows under the surface of the ground, so as to be totally hidden. It has a rough, blackish coat, and is destitute of fibers. The manner of its propagation is entirely unknown. Cooks are well acquainted with its use and quality. It is found in woods and pastures in some parts of Kent, but is not very common in England. In France and Spain truffles are very frequent, and grow to a much larger size than they do here. (England). In these places the peasants find it worth their while to search for them, and they train up dogs and swine for this purpose, who, after they have been inured to the smell, by their masters frequently placing some in their way, will readily scrape them up as they ramble the fields and woods."

A NEW SWEET APPLE.

Mr. Eli Moore, of New Britain, Hartford county, Connecticut, sends a sample of the "flat sweet" apple, which is much liked by all who have tasted it. He says:

"It is a very valuable apple, but is little known excepting in my immediate vicinity. My farm, on which they were raised, and which has produced, probably, for forty years, more than all others (for they are little cultivated because little known), and for market they have the bare name 'Sweet,' is in Southington, Hartford county. It is an excellent cooking apple in various ways; and as for dessert, or eating raw, there are very few who do not like it. It is fine for baking, although the Lyman's Pumpkin Sweet' may have some characteristics which are preferable. It will make a good dumpling also, and as for apple sauce, we used it so many years as the only apple, that we in our family universally call it the sauce apple.' That was before we thought of picking them for winter. They are ripe about the first of October, beginning to fall off pretty fast,

6

and want picking about that time, and will keep nearly as well with me

as the Greening."

Mr. Moore thinks that a free use of such apples would greatly improve the health of people.

The members present, after tasting Mr. Moore's apple, expressed themselves favorably toward it, but did not think it superior to some well known sorts.

Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter.-It is a good apple, but not as good as the Tallman Sweet, the flesh of which is more solid, and it flourishes excellently in this vicinity.

The Chairman.-I think that there is a deficiency of fall apples this year.

Prof. Mapes.—I saw, the other day, at a fruit dealer's, Gilliflowers selling at $1.12 per barrel. This variety is now fit to eat.

Mr. Solon Robinson.-I do not know of any sweet apple that is quite as good as the one which I have several times shown here, which I found growing upon my place without a name. Its only fault is its small size. The Chairman.-I think the Golden Sweeting, in its season, the best that grows.

Mr. Carpenter.-In this vicinity I should recommend the planting of early or very late varieties. Fall apples do not in general produce such high prices as early or late kinds.

BAROMETERS, THEIR CONSTRUCTION, COST, USE AND UTILITY.

Dr. C. S. Osgood furnishes the following information about barometers. He says:

"What does your Club, or anybody that has used them, think of their utility to farmers? and shall I tell what their first cost is? But no matter, farmers in general ought to be told that it costs more to beat an understanding of the value and utility of things of this kind into their heads, so as to get them willing to pay for it, than it does to make it for them. Agents usually get about 33 per cent. for selling such articles, and make little enough at that, as I know by experience. I presume it costs as much more to properly advertise a new or little known article like the barometer, thus leaving the manufacturer but one-third the retail price for furnishing materials, making, risk, care, profit, &c., so that none need be surprised at the statement that all the essentials of a perfect barometer of the very best kind, and of whatever price, do not cost one dollar. The essentials hardly include the case at all, as all that is essential in that respect is a piece of board to hold the apparatus to. All there is of the least utility to a perfect land weather-indicating barometer is, and costs at wholesale, as follows, viz: A glass tube about one-half inch outside and one-sixteenth inch inside diameter, about thirtysix inches long, closed at one end, at twenty-five cents or fifty cents per pound. About one-half pound mercury, at about fifty-eight cents per pound. A small cup of any fine grained, seasoned wood, case of any kind, opened or closed, and a movable pointer or index, all necessarily costing but a few cents. The scale and vernier are of no use in prognosticating the weather. They are ornamental, and of use in determining altitudes,

but it is a thousand times easier to learn to make barometers than to learn to take altitutdes with one with any considerable degree of accuracy.

"The marine barometer has to be more expensively constructed to obviate the oscillation of the mercury which would otherwise be occasioned by the motion of the vessel; but the essential principle of action is the same in both, and is quite superior to the principle involved in the action of the Aneroid, Union, or any other. It is the principle discovered by Torricelli, over two hundred years ago, that, at the level of the sea, a column of mercury about thirty inches high will ordinarily balance the pressure of the air upon its base-the air not being permitted to press upon its top at the same time; and, when the air is heavier than ordinary, it will support a little more than thirty inches, and when lighter than ordinary, less than thirty, &c., so that it will be readily perceived by any one at all acquainted with the principles of natural philosophy (as all should be in my estimation), that this cannot be simplified, and all attempts at greater accuracy have failed with anything not too cumbrous for ready transportation. A liquid barometer thirty feet instead of thirty inches high, would, of course, have twelve times the range of the mercurial, and act on exactly the same principle, and have a corresponding delicacy or sensitiveness; but it would be somewhat inconvenient, though not so much so as might at first sight be imagined, as it could be arranged to examine at the bottom instead of the top. The old Torricellian barometer, while the most durable and accurate, I think must be the cheapest to get up of any kind that is good for anything. But the makers of those now sold have to pay for a patent on them, but which does not affect their utility one way or the other, but merely relates to an arrangement to render them portable without the danger of getting air into their tubes, which would render them useless till that was discharged. The portability apparatus is entirely out of use, except during transportation."

Mr. Solon Robinson.-This communication involves an important question, and one that this Club should carefully consider. Can we recommend these instruments to farmers as valuable weather indicators? According to my experience I should say no-that to any but well educated men, who have leisure to study and compare, a barometer is of no practical advantage.

Prof. Mapes.-The barometer at sea is a very valuable instrument; on the land it is of very little use. I have an hygrometer that I have used for the last fifteen years. It is made of two kinds of wood, one lengthways of the grain, the other across the grain. This instrument is nearly always in motion as the air is damp or dry, and by noticing the movement you will soon be able to understand it.

RULES FOR THE USE OF BAROMETERS.

Mr. Solon Robinson.-To those who have barometers and leisure to study and apply the rules, the following will be useful. Prof. Silliman gives the following rules, which embody the results of long and various experience in different places:

"1. When the mercury is very low, high winds and storms are likely to prevail.

"2. Generally, the rising of the mercury indicates the approach of fair weather; and its falling shows the approach of foul weather.

"3. In sultry weather, the falling of the mercury indicates thunder. In winter, its rise indicates frost. In frosty weather, its fall indicates thaw, and its rise indicates snow.

"4. Whatever change of weather suddenly follows a change in the barometer, may be expected to last but a short time.

"5. When the barometer alters slowly, a long succession of foul weather may be expected, if the column falls, or of fair weather, if it rises.

"6. A fluctuating and unsettled state of the barometer indicates changeable weather.

"In the above rules, the index hand of the Aneriod answers to the mercury column of the old barometer. Mr. Kendall furnishes the following rules:

"1. There is no point at which the barometer must stand to indicate rain or wind.

"2. The judgment must be governed by the rising or falling of the barometer.

"3. The falling of the barometer indicates the approach of a storm, the extent of which will be proportionate to the amount and rapidity of the fall. 4. Showers. The barometer falls previously from four to twelve-hundredths of an inch, varying in time from one to three hours. The greater and more rapid the fall, the more violent will be the shower, accompanied more or less with wind.

"5. Northeasterly storms. The barometer falls previously from four to eight-tenths of an inch, varying in time from one to four hours, and continues falling until the storm arrives at its crisis, when the barometer begins to rise, and continues rising until that part of the storm which comes from the northwest passes off.

"6. Southerly storms. The barometer falls previously from one to fourtenths of an inch, varying in time from six to twelve hours. These storms generally precede unsettled weather; at such times the barometer continues. low, and very slight additional depressions are followed by rain.

"A southerly storm is perhaps the most difficult to judge of by appearances, as they change so frequently without any real change in the atmosphere. During this class of storms, the utmost confidence should be placed in the barometer. After the first indication as above, and the barometer does not rise, but remains stationary, it is strong indication that the storm has not all passed.

"The foregoing rules are the result of long and careful observation. It must be remembered that storms occur under different circumstances in different parts of the globe; yet, taking the first three of the above rules as a basis of calculation, a short experience, with the exercise of the judg ment, will enable one to determine very correctly concerning approaching changes in the weather.".

Mr. Carpenter.-I have an Aneroid barometer on my farm, but find that it requires to be studied before you judge of the weather by its operations; but I think the farmer has signs enough to tell him the state of the weather, signs that have been handed down for generations.

MAKING APPLE BUTTER.

A correspondent thinks that if farmers desire to prepare fruit for soldiers, there is nothing easier or better than apple butter-far better than dried apples for those who have no good conveniences for cooking them. To make good apple butter, take sweet cider fresh from the press, and boil two gallons into one; pare, core and cut into quarters sweet apples free from blemish. It will improve the flavor to add a few pears or quinces, if convenient. The cider syrup being skimmed and boilng hot, the fruit is added gradually, and must be stirred constantly until sufficiently cooked, when the whole will be homogeneous, and of a fine chocolate color. Constant attention is required to prevent burning. When well made it is entirely free from lumps, and about as thick as good mush. It may be kept in jars and kegs, in a cool, dry room for a long time, and is not injured by freezing. It is very common, indeed almost universal, among Pennsylvania farmers, and is considered a good substitute for butter, palatable and wholesome. For transportation, particularly to send to the army, it should be put up in soldered tin cans, or in wooden kegs like those that contain twenty-five pounds of white lead.

PUTTING UP FRUIT IN CANS.

Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter.-It may not be generally known that with all our abundance of fruit, so cheaply grown in this country, we import large quantities of canned fruit from France. It is put up so perfectly that it will keep for years. They use very little sugar; and fruit thus prepared is doubtless far more healthful than that preserved wholly with sugar. As a general rule, in canning fruit in this country, sugar is so largely used that the natural flavor of the fruit is destroyed.

Prof. Mapes.-There are a few general rules upon the subject of canning fruit which need to be better understood. One is, that any fruit that does not naturally generate gas largely will keep with very little preparation. This is the case with tomatoes. They will keep with but very little cooking, and without the addition of any other substance, and with less care in preparation than almost any other fruit that is preserved in sealed cans. If tomatoes are slightly scalded and skinned, and put into bottles, and these set into boiling water for a few minutes, and corked and sealed, the fruit will keep as long as desired, and if eaten when first opened will have the same taste as when just picked from the vines. On the contrary, no preparation which you can give plums will keep them perfectly. Peas are of the same character; they cannot be kept fresh, however tightly they may be sealed, on account of the fixed air which they contain. Pears are very easily kept. I have Bartlett pears now in the house, of excellent quality, which were pared, quartered and cored, placed in bottles without anything added, and then placed in a water bath and heated nearly, but not quite, to the boiling point, and then corked and sealed. All that is needed in fruit easily preserved is to expel the air, to make nearly a perfect vacuum, which may be done by the air pump or by heat. It is not necessary to cook the fruit, nor is it ever as good when the heat is raised too high. Indeed, no kind of fruit should ever be cooked in sugar. In