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way along the road, and that is all. Cattle in the roads, and particularly along railroads, are a great nuisance, and I rejoice that the new statute has settled that point in this State.

OBSTRUCTING ROADS.

Mr. Carpenter called attention to a reprehensible practice that prevails in some parts of Westchester county by owners of land placing logs along the sides of highways, so as to confine the travel to a narrow space along the center. Others plant trees so that they obstruct the right of way on narrow roads.

The Chairman said it would be more sensible to require landowners to keep the road sides properly dressed in grass, and allow nothing else to grow, and have no obstructions in the highway-the worst of which is cattle; and I am glad that New York State has taken a step to get rid of the nuisance. A similar law has been of the greatest advantage to Massachusetts.

INSECTS FOUND IN DRY GRAIN.

Solon Robinson read the following letter from D. W. Brannan, dated Wadham's Mills, May 3, 1862:

"Inclosed I send you a quantity of live stock. These animals were captured by W. L. Wadhams, a manufacturer of flour, in this place. He discovered them a few days ago in his smut mill. Our wheat last season was covered with lice. Can these be the offspring of those flies or lice? Who can tell? What may we expect from them the coming season? If your learned and scientific men want a supply, Mr. Wadhams can furnish them by the bushel. I am of opinion that those lice deposited the nit of these."

These specimens were examined by several members, none of whom could give any satisfactory information, but looked upon them as a new pest of the farmer.

CULTIVATION OF CELERY.

Mr. Carpenter said that he had found it absolutely necessary in sowing the seed to do it in a shady spot, else the plants were liable to dry up and die before they attain any size. The ground should also be kept moist. When the plants get large enough to prick out, I set them in rows two or three inches apart to grow until large enough to set where they are to stand. Some of the most successful cultivators do not set celery in trenches, but on a level, with room enough between the rows to haul up dirt around the stalks. It is asserted by those who have tried both ways, that this mode requires less manure, and that the early growth of the plants is better, because the surface is more fertile than the bottom of a trench.

BARREN GRAPE VINES.

C. L. Foster, Topsham, Vt.-In looking over the report of the "American Institute Farmers' Club," I noticed a mention of "a barren grape vine," by "A. Lester," and a different remedy than the one recommended suggested

itself to my mind. Many species of the grape are "diæcious," i. e., having staminate and pistilate flowers on different plants. Perhaps the one spoken of by A. Lester may be staminate, and require one which is pistilate to be planted near it, or vice versa, instead of a change of soil.

The question then arose whether there was any such thing as a "flowering grape vine," that would not bear fruit.

Dr. Church, of this city, stated that he had a vine that flowered regularly every spring for several years, and produced no fruit; but he did not think it was because the blossoms were either pistilate or staminate, and needed a vine of an opposite sort to fructify them.

Mr. Carpenter said that was the case with raspberries, particularly with the Allen variety.

Mr. R. G. Pardee.-Is there any proof that any grape vine is permanently barren? I have known vines barren for years, which, by a new kind of treatment, became fruitful, with no other change of circumstances. Vines of this sort are often made to produce by pruning and fertilizing.

CULTURE OF INDIAN CORN.

The Chairman asked whether hilling or flat culture was preferable. Mr. John G. Bergen.-Although I am not in favor of hilling corn by hand, yet, as a general thing, whoever tries to raise corn entirely upon the system of flat culture will find the increase of expense too much to pay. It all depends upon soil and situation. Adaptation to circumstances must be the governing principle. It is one of the faults of the discussions of this Club that members are too apt to lay down rules suited to the circumstances of the speaker. Some land absolutely requires a different mode of culture from others. Many English farmers fail in this country because they attempt to follow rules only suited to the moist climate of England.

Dr. D. P. Holton.-Economy in the culture of the ground is to be attained in following a triple series:

1. The construction of instruments in conformity to nature's laws and to the ends derived.

2. Publication of these inventions to secure their practical adoption. 3. The right use of these instruments with due regard to the soil and its products, climate and surroundings.

The American Institute has from its origin regularly pursued this series: 1st. It pursues the first in welcoming and encouraging the presentation of new instruments, or modifications of those in use.

Here theories and principles are discussed and skillfully applied, whether to sustain the hopes of the inventor or to instruct him wherein his invention is formed on a basis of error.

It is often more difficult to dissipate an erroneous basis than to reconstruct a truthful one. Here many an inventor has had occasion to appreciate the proverb: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend;" and again the encomiums and prizes of the Institute have judiciously stimulated true genius.

2d. The American Institute pursues the second of the series in its weekly reunion of practical farmers and men of science for public discussions, in its annual fairs and in its Transactions, widely circulated through the press.

Thus inventive genius is making sure steps of progress throughout the world. These and similar discussions, exhibitions and publications are rapidly opening new sources of wealth and comfort, arousing the most stupid to see and confess these progressive economies.

3d. In the triple classification of means for attaining to the true economy in cultivating the ground, the American Institute endeavors to encourage the right use of these inventions with due regard to the soil and its products, climate and surroundings.

This is in part attained by encouraging a spirit of emulation in exhibiting the best products in competition. But the Institute has not yet been able to furnish that best of means, a model and experimental farm, for the solution of high questions of agriculture and horticulture, in a locality easily accessible to great masses of people, citizens and strangers—a school for the most economical training of good farmers.

American farming will continue to be the ruling interest at home, and the spring of our greatest power abroad.

In this view it becomes very important that inventions continue to be encouraged, and that near the great centers of population and travel a grand experimental farm should be established by Government for the solution of great questions of agriculture, the acclimation of plants and animals from foreign parts, for the practical test of instruments invented for surface culture, where multitudes of citizens and strangers may see the practical workings of science.

In connection with this experimental farm there should be a school of agriculture and horticulture, where the lectures may be open for the free entrance of the masses, though specially appropriate to the regular instruction of the youth, thus preparing to go forth as practical farmers, well instructed in the organic laws of plants and animals, in the physical sciences, and thoroughly trained in the use of the various instruments for the culture of the earth.

Let this experimental farm be the special home of the orphans of our patriot soldiers, and our General and State Governments will find it both constitutional and expedient to liberally endow it, and secure to the school a perpetuity of efficient action and usefulness.

Subject for the next meeting, "Profits of Keeping Poultry."
Adjourned.

JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary.

May 19, 1862.

Mr. Nathaniel Hawxhurst in the chair.

WHAT IS SOLD FOR GYPSUM.

Rev. Mr. Weaver, of Fordham.-Here is a sample of something that is sold in this city for ground plaster, at $1.00 a barrel, which the seller sent me upon an order for plaster, and now says it is better than that for agricultural purposes, but don't say what it is. That I should like to know.

Dr. Church, of New York.-I judge, from appearances, that this is the residuum of a manufactory of muriatic acid, which is made by putting com

mon salt (muriate of soda) and sulphuric acid in a large iron retort, lined with clay bricks, where it is raised to a very high heat, and the vapor passed over into a condenser, and the residuum is principally sulphate of soda (Glauber salts) and not sulphate of lime, which is commonly called plaster of Paris. It may be a very good manurial substance, but it should not be sold as sulphate of lime, the action of which is well known upon plants. This substance usually sells at $8 and $10 per ton, and higher than plaster. Perhaps this is adulterated. I should judge by the price that it was so.

Prof. Nash. I have just tried this substance, and find that it is nearly all soluble in cold water, which proves that it is not plaster, which is so insoluble that 100 pounds per acre is as good as more, because that is as much as all the rain of one year would render soluble. I should think that this substance was principally composed of a sort of impure Glauber salts, which is a good fertilizer.

Dr. Church.-Yes, and so is common salt, and also sal soda, which may be used advantageously, 500 or 600 pounds per acre. In answer to the question, whether it is as good as plaster as a deodorizer, I should say not, nor as good as a solution of common salt. As to the solubility of plaster, the rule is that it requires 750 times the weight in water of the plaster to be dissolved; but in practice it is better to say that one pound of plaster will require 1,000 pounds of water.

SCALDING ONION SEED.

Solon Robinson read an extract from a western agricultural periodical in relation to scalding onion seed, from which we abstract the following: "The seed is placed in a saucer and boiling water is poured over the seed, when little sprouts, as large as horse hairs, were shooting out of the opened ends of the seeds. The water did not remain on the seeds over three seconds. It is said that this process advances the growth of the onion two or three weeks beyond the ordinary method of planting.".

Prof. Nash.-In pouring boiling water upon trees to kill grubs, would you make a basin of earth around the base of the tree and fill that with hot water?

Solon Robinson.-No, I would pour the water from the spout of a teakettle directly upon the tree, near where the grubs were, and the steam will cook them but won't injure the bark.

COST OF GROWING SORGHUM.

S. Ward, of Lane, Illinois, gives the following as a correct statement of the cost of raising and manufacturing one acre of sorghum according to

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If a farmer should get his syrup made on shares, the cost, according to the above account, of raising and drawing to the mill, if near by, would be $18.

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Prof. Nash. This statement looks fair, except the sum for the use of the land.

Solon Robinson.-That is worth what it will bring in market, and the sum named is above what you can rent millions of acres of land at on the prairies of Illinois. But here is another statement, made by Ransom Bartle, of Independence, Iowa, where the use of land is stated much higher-too high.

PROFITS OF SORGHUM CONTRASTED WITH CORN AND WHEAT.

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