FISH'S PATENT LAMP HEATING APPARATUS,

For the economical application of the burning of kerosene oil for the purpose of heating and cooking, for which the silver medal of the

Institute was awarded.

Ever since the discovery of the inexhaustible oil wells in Pennsylvania, petroleum has been produced in quantities so large as to

cause it to be offered at such very low prices that extraordinary efforts have been made to use it for heating as well as for illumi nating purposes. Were it not for the disagreeable odor and the smoke which result from its combustion, it would afford a cheap substitute for the spirit lamp in chemical laboratories, and for gas. in culinary operations; indeed, its very low cost would probably cause it to be used to a large extent for cooking in summer, in place of wood and coal. Many plans have been suggested for producing so perfect combustion of rock oil that no smoke would be emitted, but, so far as we are aware, none of these has been entirely successful at all events, in its application to heating purposes. By the plan which we here illustrate the inventor claims the com- . bustion to be absolutely perfect, so that not a particle of unconsumed smoke is left.

It consists simply in placing a metal chimney over the flame; and to avoid the great waste of heat which would occur from radiation from the walls of the chimney, the chimney is carried through the vessel to be heated. The engravings represent the plan as applied to a tea and coffee boiler, Fig. 1, and to a nursery lamp, Fig. 2; a section of the latter being shown in Fig. 3. A is the lamp, B the chimney, and C the vessel of water surrounding the chimney. g represents a porcelain cup which may be placed. within the receiver and used for keeping food warm through the night. A hole is made in the side of the chimney, on a level with the flame, and filled with a plate of mica, d, through which the flame may be observed in adjusting its height to give us the amount of heat required. As a considerable portion of the heat passes up through the chimney, arrangements are made te utilize this heat, which would otherwise be lost. Accordingly, a light iron stand, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, is constructed to support a vessel of water, or any other cooking dish, directly over the top of the chimney. The inventor says that he has fried meat in the nicest manner by placing a frying pan on this stand.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB.

RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF AGRICULTURE.

1. Any person may become a member of this Club, and take part in the debate by simply conforming to its rules.

2. Any member for disorderly conduct may be expelled by a vote of the majority.

3. The minutes of the Club, notices of meetings, etc., shall, as formerly, be under the control of the

4. The Club shall be called together Tuesday, at 11 o'clock P. M., of each week.

5. A chairman pro tem. shall be chosen at each meeting.

6. The first hour of the meeting may be devoted to miscellaneous subjects, as follows: papers or commuuications by the Secretary, communications in writing, reports from special committees, subjects for subsequent debate proposed, desultory or incidental subjects considered.

7. The principal subject of debate shall be taken up at 2 o'clock (but may be introduced earlier by a vote of the meeting), and continue until 31⁄2 o'clock unless a motion to adjourn prevail.

8. No person shall speak more than fifteen minutes on the principal subject unless by consent of the meeting.

9. All controversy or personalities must be avoided, and the subject before the meeting be strictly adhered to.

10. Questions pertinent to the subject of debate may be asked of each through the chairman, but answers must be brief, and not lead to debate. 11. The chairman may at any time call a person to order, and require him to discontinue his remarks.

12. When any committee is appointed by the Farmers' Club, the members of said committee shall be members of the American Institute.

13. No discussion shall be allowed that is not connected with the great subjects of Agriculture and Rural Improvement.

Mr. Adrian Bergen, of Long Island, in the chair.

HALL'S PEDIGREE WHEAT.

May 5, 1862.

Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter.-Last year I had a number of varieties of wheat sent me to experiment with. These specimens I planted in an exposed situation. One variety, which has a great reputation in England, known as "Hall's Pedigree," is likely to prove hardy and productive in this country, and I think it very suitable for our climate. Sixty bushels per acre have been grown in England of this new variety of wheat. I also had two varieties of barley, one of which, called "bald barley," has stood the winter, and I think it will be a valuable addition to our cereals.

DISEASES OF FRUIT TREES.

Wm. H. Pettis makes the following inquiry:

I would like to hear, from your Farmers' Club, something upon the following statement of facts: I have a fine, thrifty pear tree in my yard, which bore last year, for the second time, about a half bushel of pears. Last spring I washed the bark with ley and soap, wound a cloth round the body of the tree to protect the bark from our hot summer sun, dug about the roots, mulched with coarse manure, and to pay me for this trouble the bark on one-half of the tree began to turn black before September, and at the time the leaves were off, the bark on the body of the tree had turned black and apparently dead. I expected, of course, the tree had "gone up," but I see this spring that the top of the tree is alive, the buds are green, and it seems now as if the tree would blossom and leave out as liberally as it did last spring. If your Club can tell me how I can save that tree I would like to hear the modus operandi of doing it.

Wm. S. Carpenter.-The disease here spoken of is a very common one, and is called the "frozen sap blight." It is very common in western New York nurseries, and is one of the causes of the high prices of trees, the proprietors lose so many of their trees. Some years ago the pear trees in Westchester county were very much affected, and some large old trees were lost. Sometimes only one side is injured, and the tree lives; but where young trees are dead half around the hole, it is best to dig them up and replant, as they are not likely to make healthy trees, and no remedy has been discovered.

THE BLACK KNOT.

I should like to hear some experience in relation to the black knot in cherry trees. It was stated last year at one of our meetings, by a gentleman whom I have relied upon as authority, that when there was no fruit for the curculio to deposit eggs in, they were inserted in the green bark, and that produced the black knot which disfigures and destroys so many trees. Recently the same authority tells us that the question is unsettled. Now, after I have argued a year upon this foundation, I dislike to have it knocked from under me. If the curculio does not make the black knot, what does? And what is the remedy? I have always recommended trimming off all these excrescences as a very healthy operation for the tree. Now we are told that it does no good to cut off the knots in the spring, for then the insect, whatever it is that had its home there, has escaped; so to do any good we must cut the limb off as soon as the puncture is made. I don't agree with this; I think that the knots poison the tree, and if cut away it may recover, and if left the tree will continue to decay and die. I always find that the wood near the knots is in unhealthy condition, and I think that cutting them off at any season is beneficial.

Mr. Carpenter said that the best time to cut black knots was in summer, but he agreed with Mr. Bergen that it will always be found beneficial to trees to cut them away, either as soon as formed or at some other time. He said: I have given up trying to grow plums after planting and losing a hundred trees. The curculio destroyed all the fruit, and the black knot

all the trees. Trimming would not save them. It is not worth my while to try to grow plums while I am so much more successful with apples and pears.

Mr. John G. Bergen.-I have looked into this subject; it has attracted my attention for the past twenty-five years. Some kinds of plums are very much less liable to be affected by black knot and curculio than others. There is one common sort on Long Island, called horse plum, that is most affected by black knot. The Damson plum is also badly affected. The Orleans plum has seldom been affected by the black knot, but the curculio destroys nearly all the fruit. Then there is the Catharine, and one called with us the blue gage, the fruit of which is small and abundant, though not first quality, which is seldom affected in fruit or tree. Of cherries, the common sour kind were the first destroyed by the black knot; next the May Duke, and now all sorts more or less. Some white cherries are the least attacked of any but the native varieties. The curculio, whether they cause black knot and then kill the trees, or whether it is some other cause, are certainly very troublesome insects, yet I am not disposed to abandon the attempt to grow plums and cherries, particularly the latter.

When your trees are affected by the black knot you must cut until you come to sound wood; if you do not you will lose the limb and perhaps the

tree.

Solon Robinson.-I am as badly plagued with another insect as with curculio. Indeed, they are worse upon cherries; and last summer they destroyed bushels of my strawberry apples, taking nearly all of the earliest. I allude to the rose-bugs, those shield shaped, dirty-yellow colored pests of the rose bushes, ever since I can remember; but it is only of late years that they have become pests of the orchard and vineyard. If any one can give a remedy for this pest he will confer a great benefit upon community. John G. Bergen.-I cannot name a remedy, but can state that the bugs may suddenly cease their mischief. A few years ago the south side of Long Island was so infested with them that no one could grow grapes; they cut off all the buds. For the last two years there have been very few of those bugs, not enough to destroy the grapes; and I never knew that they would eat cherries and apples.

Wm. S. Carpenter.-A neighbor of mine in Westchester county hired the children to catch these pests, and got rid of them in that way. I recommend that course. They are easily jarred from the trees.

Solon Robinson.-Like the recommendation to jar off the curculio and pinch his head, it may do on a small scale, but as a general thing it is impracticable. You could not jar them from my trees unless you jarred the fruit with them. I have seen a dozen upon one cherry, and they eat it to the stone. And I have seen them entirely burrowed in apples; and if they could be jarred from the tree, upon a sheet, it would require a good sized crushing engine to destroy them.

WINTER-KILLED EVERGREENS.

Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter.-There has been a large loss of evergreens in this vicinity the past winter, both in nurseries and upon gentlemen's places. I have lost a number of trees in a hedge of arborvitas, five years old.