culty in making them grow. Wine made from this grape is of a very superior quality.

My partner tried a large quantity of the Delaware vines, but was very unsuccessful in making them grow.

Mr. Pardee. The experience of the gentleman in relation to the growth of the Delaware has not been like mine; we all know that the demand for this grape was such, that every means was used for their rapid propagation; root grafting and raising vines from the eyes under glass, was resorted to to produce them; by this means the vines were very delicate, and many persons became dissatisfied, because they failed in getting strong, healthy vines, but where they are raised from layers or strong well ripened cuttings, they grow vigorous, and after a year or two become good vines.

Mr. Carpenter.-You may raise thousands of seedling grapes and fail to get one that is equal to the Concord; most all the seedlings that have come into favor, have been the result of chance. A gentleman in France has some very fine seedling varieties of apples and pears; I understand he has now upwards of one hundred varieties.

He takes the well developed seed from the best varieties of fruit, selected with great care; these are planted in a hot bed; when they are three or four inches high he transplants them into the open ground, five or six inches apart; these are taken up two or three times, the tap root cut off, and the roots shortened; the next year he heads them in, so that in about six years he gets them into bearing; from these he selects the best kinds..

I would here mention that our friend Isaac Buchanan, has produced some choice varieties of Petunias; a few days since I had the opportunity of examining six new kinds, they were all fine flowers, beautiful in form, and brilliant in color.

Mr. Pardee. Flowers in general are single, but by high cultivation, by hybridizing, &c., gardeners have produced double flowers in a great variety of colors.

In raising flowers from seed, you should remove all single flowers, or else your seed next year will produce a great number of single flowers. I have grown the choice varieties of Asters and Balsams, and by leaving a single plant growing among them, the seed the following year deteriorated so much the flowers were nearly worthless.

Mr. Adrian Bergen.-We must not rely too much upon planting seed to procure good fruit. A great many persons who plant the seed saved from fruit they have eaten, are disappointed in not getting as good fruit as that from which the seed was saved. Persons who do this must have great patience, and when they fail must try again and again. I prefer grafting from choice trees to planting seed from choice fruit; by following this course I know what to expect. New varieties are only got by planting seed, but it is a great chance; you may try many times and fail in the result.

Mr. Carpenter exhibited the Northern Spy apple. The specimen was in fine perfection, and the flavor excellent.

Mr. Thompson.-The Northern Spy apple, grown on my daughter's farm, at Glen Cove, this year, was the only apple that retained its usual size.

CULTIVATION OF ASPARAGUS.

Mr. Pardee. We must all remember that the asparagus is a marine plant, and, to raise it to perfection, salt must be applied to the bed yearly. I have been very successful in raising this plant. It was my constant habit to empty the old brine from the beef and pork barrels upon the beds, and always succeeded in raising asparagus of a superior quality. In answer to the question how to prepare asparagus beds, I will say: First, underdrain the soil. If that cannot be done in the regular way with tiles, dig the bed four or five feet deep, and fill a foot or two of the bottom with rubble stone, and above that old litter of any sort, including chips, rotten wood, sods, etc., then soil well, mixed with compost manure, thoroughly worked, and in this set the roots six inches down, and by and by level off the bed. Keep it well worked and rich. A bed thus prepared and kept will last for years.

CHICCORY-ITS USE AND GROWTH.

Mr. Solon Robinson presented several roots of chiccory grown upon his farm in Westchester county, and also specimens of the dried roots prepared for use in a domestic way, in which, and his statement relating to it, the members appeared to take a deep interest. The roots are about half the usual size of parsneps, and, in Mr. Robinson's opinion, half as many bushels per acre may be counted on as a crop. Mr. Robinson said that he did not present these specimens, and call up this subject again, to induce any one to cultivate or use chiccory, but simply to show how easily it can be grown by any farmer that desires to do so. He procured the seed at Thorburn's, in John street, being particular to inquire for the kind that is grown for roots, and not as a forage plant, as one kind, called succory, is, in England. It was sown upon corn-stubble land, moderately rich, alongside of carrots, in May or first of June, and treated in the same way; and this prepared article was made of roots dug a few days since, washed and cut into thin slices, and dried upon a wire screen in one day over the stove. It is now to be roasted and used just like coffee, mixed with it or rye, or in a pure state. As to its use being deleterious, he had no idea that it was as much so as coffee or tea. If used too freely it is said to be diuretic, and that it affects the nervous system. So do tea and coffee. If mixed half and half with coffee, it would be hard to detect it in the article prepared for the table. Mixed with rye the beverage certainly has a strong likeness to coffee in looks, odor and flavor. As farmers generally drink coffee-as they must or will have some warm beverage with their meals-why not use chiccory, and why not grow it in their gardens? He thought the Club might do a great favor to the country by recommending it. If it is deleterious, the people of England, France, Belgium and Germany would have discovered it before this, for it is extensively grown and used there; and, indeed, it is much more extensively used here than people are aware of, or else why such quantities imported? And if used, why should it be imported, when we can grow it as easily as any other root crop, and prepare it for use in any way that roots, herbs or fruits are dried.

Mr. R. G. Pardee read the following extract from the American Encyclopædia about this plant:

"Chiccory, or succory, or the wild endive, is a plant of the dandelion family; grows wild and profusely in England and other parts of Europe, and is also naturalized in America. The root is fleshy and milky, and is cheap and pleasant, but has but little nutriment, and none of the essential oil or aromatic flavor of coffee.

"In cases where it is used for a long time, its effects are deleterious, especially upon the nervous system; not so much so, however, as coffee. It was formerly used for medicinal purposes, and is still thought by some to be beneficial in the early stages of jaundice and visceral obstructions, etc. "It is now employed almost exclusively as a substitute for coffee; and, notwithstanding its cheapness, it is often adulterated with roasted wheat, rye, acorns, carrots, and other more objectionable articles. Large crops of chiccory are grown every year in England, and is cut, dried, and reduced to powder, when it resembles in color ground coffee without its qualities. It blossoms in August and September, with bright blue flowers, on a stem rising from one to three feet, when grown wild, but when well cultivated the stem rises to the height, sometimes, of six feet. Cultivate like parsnips or carrots. Great Britain produced 12,500 tons of chiccory in 1850. The British Parliament has sanctioned its sale, only labeled when sold mixed with coffee."

Mr. Charles F. Erhard, of Ravenswood.-The blossoms were not always. blue, but vary in color like asters. The plant grows wild just as carrots do upon Long Island, though I was not aware till now that it was the same as the one cultivated, nor had I any idea that an article that I have long used as a substitute for coffee in my family, could be so easily grown. I think that hereafter I shall grow my own chiccory.

Mr. Van Antwerp.-The roots shown to-day by Mr. Robinson are larger than any I have ever seen. I have understood that the roots imported from Germany are a smaller variety, which is preferable to use in place of coffee; but experiments will soon prove if this is so.

Dr. Church, of New York.-The botanical name of chiccory is Cichorium Entibus. The succory, used as forage plant, Cichorium Endiva. The dried chiccory roots have been an article of commerce for a long time, and have sold at six, seven and eight cents a pound, and at present considerably higher. I do not think its use deleterious, unless taken in immoderate quantities.

Mr. Carpenter.-I have been in the habit of condemning the use of chiccory, but from the testimony of a number of friends who have used it, I think I have been in error. Our farmers can certainly grow this root at two cents per pound. Allowing that it does lose three-quarters of its weight by drying and roasting, it can be placed on our tables at farthest at ten cents per pound. Now that the price of coffee has advanced to over double its former price, chiccory will be grown to an unlimited extent. I think it is our duty to recommend it to the attention of American farmers.

Mr. Solon Robinson.-As to the objection to growing chiccory, that if once got into the ground it can never be got out, the same objection rests against carrots, parsnips, horse-radish, Jerusalem artichokes, and I do not know how many other plants. A correspondent of the Country Gentleman says:

"We recently treated our friends with a dish of coffee made of chiccory, rye and wheat bran stirred up with molasses and browned like the other ingredients. It was pronounced very good, and they were surprised to learn that it contained not a particle of coffee. The root is very solid and does not shrink very badly in drying, so that a rod square will furnish an abundant supply for a family for a year.

"Wash the roots clean, slice in thin pieces, dry in the sun or in a moderate oven, and brown and grind the same as coffee. It is stronger than the pure coffee in equal quantities, gives a good color to the decoction, but does not settle quite as clear as does the genuine article. It is an ingredient in all the burnt and ground coffee sold in the market. The flavor is agreeable to most persons, and used as a partial substitute for Java it does very well."

THE GRADE OF COUNTRY ROADS.

Mr. Solon Robinson.-The following letter has been sent to me:

"I think you have fallen into a great error, in making the remark, during the last meeting of the Farmers' Club, that railroad horses wear out so soon because they continually travel on a level, or nearly a level. This popular error should not be supported by your authority, which is certainly considered unimpeachable by many. On the contrary, I should like to see

you enlisted on the side of those who try to conquer this error, which has done and is doing much mischief in preventing improvements in the grade of country roads. Will you please read the enclosed to the Club, and let us have some decision on the subject ?"

"UNDULATING ROADS.

"There is a popular theory that a gently undulating road is less fatiguing to horses than one which is perfectly level. It is said that the alternations of ascent, descent, and levels, call into play different muscles, allowing some to rest while the others are exerted, and thus relieving each in turn.

"Plausible as this speculation appears at first glance, it will be found on examination to be untrue, both mechanically and physiologically; for, considering it in the former point of view, it is apparent that new ascents. are formed which offer. resistances not compensated by the descents; and in the latter we find that it is contradicted by the structure of the horse. The question was submitted by Mr. Stevenson to Dr. John Barclay, of Edinburgh, no less eminent for his knowledge, than successful as a teacher of the science of comparative anatomy, and he made the following reply: 'My acquaintance with the muscles by no means enables me to explain how a horse should be more fatigued by traveling on a road uniformly level, than by traveling over a like space upon one that crosses heights and hollows; but it is demonstrably a false idea, that muscles can alternately rest and come into motion in cases of this kind. Much is to be ascribed to prejudice originating with the man, continually in quest of variety, rather than with the horse, who, consulting only his own ease, seems quite unconscious of Hogarth's Line of Beauty.'

"Since this doctrine is thus seen to be a mere popular error, it should

be utterly rejected, not only because false in itself, but still more because it encourages the making of undulating roads, and thus increases the labor and cost of carriage upon them.

"" GREATEST ALLOWABLE SLOPE.

"A perfectly level road is thus seen to be a most desirable object; but as it can seldom be completely attained, we must next investigate the limits to which the slopes of a road should be reduced, if possible, and determine what is the steepest allowable or maximum slope.

"This depends on two different considerations, according as the slope is viewed as a descent or as an ascent, each of which it alternately becomes, according to the direction of the travel.

"Viewed as a descent, it chiefly concerns the safety of rapid traveling, and applies especially to great public roads.

"Viewed as an ascent, it chiefly concerns the draught of heavy loads, and relates particularly to routes for agricultural and other heavy transportation.

"The slope should be so gentle that when a heavy vehicle is descending its gravity shall not overcome its friction so far as to permit it to press upon the horses. This limiting slope corresponds to the 'angle of repose' of mechanical science; i. e., the angle made with the horizon by the steepest plane down which a body will not slide of its own accord, its gravity just balancing its friction, so that the least increase of slope would overpower the resistance of the friction, and make the body descend. This 'angle of repose' should therefore be the limit of grade upon all country roads, so far as possible."

Mr. Robinson.-I did not intend to be understood as objecting to a level grade for roads, in what I said, because I know their advantages, and that if horses do wear out faster, we can afford to wear them out.

"Chiccory, its Uses and Growth," was continued as one of the subjects for discussion at the next meeting.

Adjourned.

JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary.

Mr. John G. Bergen, of Long Island, in the chair.

INCREASING THE SIZE OF EGGS.

January 27, 1863.

Prof. Mapes called the attention of farmers to this subject.

He exhibited specimens weighing 34 ounces each of eggs, produced by a Mr. Pyatt, on the Lyons farm, near Newark, N. J., by improvements in the white Spanish fowls. He is careful to select such hens as lay large eggs to propagate from, and sells off or uses on his table all that do not come up to his standard of excellence. This is a matter to which farmers might profitably give more attention.

The Chairman.-Not as long as the custom prevails of selling eggs by the dozen, and small ones for just as much as the largest.

Mr. Solon Robinson.-I have long advocated selling eggs by the pound, [AM. INST.]

16