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 Secretary.

4. The Club shall be called together Tuesday, at 12 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 communications 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 21 o'clock (but may be introduced earlier by a vote of the 'meeting) and continue until 3 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.

April 17, 1866.

The regular session of the Club was held on Tuesday afternoon. At half-past 1 o'clock, NATHAN C. ELY, Esq., the permanent Chairman, called the meeting to order; Mr. JOHN W. CHAMBERS filling the post of permanent Secretary.

Mr. Solon Robinson presented, with valuable comments, the following alphabetical list of

FRUITS IN THE SEASON.

Apples-Our first receipts, before the Rebellion, were from the interior of South Carolina, shipped from Charleston about the middle of May. Following these were Virginia apples from June 5 to 10, and the latter part of the month, South Jersey fruit made its appearance, but not until the middle of July are good apples plenty. They are in good supply from the middle of August until April, in ordinary seasons, with a few extending into June. Those of Northern growth keep best.

Apricots-These were formerly plenty, but since the days of the curculio their cultivation has nearly been abandoned, especially as a market crop. In former times they made their appearance from Charleston the 1st of June, and by the 10th we had arrivals from Norfolk, and occasionally a few from Delaware and South Jersey in July, but at no time are they plenty, and comparatively few persons even know what they are. A few apricots are grown along the Hudson river.

Bananas-A foreign tropical fruit, largely brought from the West Indies, beginning the latter part of March and extending up to the middle of July. The greatest supply is during May and June.

Blackberries-These have formerly been brought to market only from the vicinity of the city-largely from Long Island and New Jersey, during the last of July and August. .Attempts are being made to introduce them from South Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland, where they ripen the latter part of June. This will extend the blackberry season over more than two months. The wild sorts, in this vicinity, are rapidly giving way to the improved cultivated Lawton, a most profuse bearer. The Dorchester and Kittatinny are beginning to attract attention.

Cherries-The first cherries are from Virginia, reaching here from Norfolk the middle of May. A little later we have Baltimore fruit, and by the middle of June they begin to arrive from Philadelphia, closely followed by New Jersey cherries. The

markets are best supplied from the 20th of June till the 1st of July, though the Morello or sour cherries continue well through July. Most of the late fruit comes from the vicinity of Rochester. Cranberries from New Jersey, make their first appearance the middle of September, followed by Cape Cod berries the 1st of October, about which time western fruit begins to arrive. Keeping a long time, they remain in market until the 1st of April, when rhubarb takes their place, though cranberries are occasionally on sale up to May 1.

Currants-Are a northern fruit, not flourishing well at the south. Green fruit, from New Jersey, is on sale the last of May, and ripe fruit from the middle to the last of June. They extend over a long period, usually through August, the bulk being in market the last half of July. Black currants are only good when ripe, and not then in much demand, though some persons are very fond of them. Season, last of July and first of August.

Gooseberries.-Arrangements are being made to receive gooseberries from Maryland. They can be shipped from there in a green state, by the 10th of May. Jersey berries begin to appear about the 20th of the month, and are the first fruit to follow rhubarb. They continue well through July. The majority of those sent to market are the small native sorts.

Grapes-Hot house grapes, though furnished to the Broadway and other saloons much earlier, are not often in market before the middle of June, and are not plenty before July and August-in fact they are never plenty. Imported grapes are found on sale, in limited quantites during the autumn and winter months. The first out-door native grapes now come from New Jersey, September 1; we expect to soon see them from further south much earlier. By the middle of September they are in fair supply, and in their greatest abundance the last of the month and early in October, though the market is well supplied up to December and even through the holidays. Perhaps no fruit is gaining faster in the appreciation of the masses than the grape. Improved varieties are fast taking the places of the old Isabella and Catawba, and all appearances indicate that ours is to be a great grape country. Late inventions and experiments with preserving houses, give assurances that we are to have fresh grapes in the spring. Our latest and best keepers, at present, are Catawbas sent from Ohio.

Lemons-These are mainly from Sicily, and are in market sparingly, from February until August, their greatest abundance

being in May and June. Malaga lemons are received from October until March.

Water melons

Melons-We include these among the fruits. come in sparingly from the West Indies, the last of May and early in June, followed by Virginia melons, the middle of July, and from Maryland the 1st of August. New Jersey melons begin about the middle of August, and they remain on sale through September. Nutmeg or citron melons arrive from Virginia about the 20th of July, and from eastern Maryland soon after. New Jersey and Delaware furnish the majority of this fruit, from about the middle of August until the 10th of September-often much later.

Nectarines are so little seen in market, that few know them, and even then take them for peaches. The first receipts were formerly from South Carolina about the 10th of July. A few arrive from Virginia from the middle to the 20th of the month, and the light supply of Delaware and Jersey fruit is in the market the last of August and early in September. A few are grown along the Hudson River.

arrive about New Years and Sicily oranges are in market

Oranges-Havana fruit begins to continues until the middle of April. from January to August-sometimes later. A few oranges are raised in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, but seldom find their way here.

Peaches are never too early, or continue too late, and though very abundant some seasons, people rarely tire of them. They are emphatically the fruit, and during their season little else in the way of fruit is desired. In the "olden time "all the good things of which, are about to be realized again—our first peaches were from South Carolina, received here about the 20th of June. Virginia fruit began to arrive the 12th of July, Delaware peaches August 1, and New Jersey fruit the middle of the month. The markets are usually supplied up to the 1st of October, and even later. The greatest abundance is from August 20 until about the 10th of September.

Pears from South Carolina and Georgia began to arrive in former years July 15; from Virginia the last of the month, and soon after from Delaware and New Jersey. If the early fruit were sent from the south, it might reach here in June even, but pears do not sell well until the glut of peaches is over. They are in the greatest abundance in September, and continue until February, though scarce after the middle of November.

Pineapples.-These are from the West Indies, and though a few come in at irregular periods, the majority of the fruit is received from the 1st of May until the 1st of September, their greatest abundance usually being in July.

Plums can only be raised successfully in certain localities, the curculio being their greatest enemy. They formerly began to arrive from South Carolina June 20, and from Virginia early in July. Very few plums are raised in Delaware and New Jersey; but along the Hudson river they flourish well, and are usually on sale abundantly during September, and extend into October.

Quinces are a late ripening fruit, not good before maturity. They are on sale during October and the first half of Novembersometimes later. We seldom receive them from south of New

Jersey.

Raspberries follow strawberries, and are seldom received beyond New Jersey, as they are difficult to transport. The market begins to be supplied the 1st of July, sometimes in June, and they are nearly over in three weeks. The bulk of the fruit comes from along the Hudson river, where the Antwerp berry is chiefly cultivated. Wild and also cultivated berries come in quite freely from New Jersey.

Rhubarb, though not fruit, bears so much resemblance to it in its uses, that we include it here. It is the earliest fruit in market, and is welcomed as a change from dried fruits. The consumption, mainly for pies and dumplings, is immense. The little grown in cellars, hot-beds and forcing houses is seldom thrown into market, the earliest appearance for general sale being about the first of April, and though a little is offered all through the summer up to September, it is not plenty or much called for after the 1st of June. It is only raised for this market in New Jersey, on Long Island, and the near-by portions of the State.

Strawberries.-Next to peaches, these are the people's fruit, on which all classes feast for at least a month. Being rather tender of transportation, we do not get them south of Virginia. The first chest sent from there the present season was from the noted grower, Mr. W. I. Bishop, of Portsmouth, received here May 6. About the middle of the month Baltimore berries begin to arrive, followed by those from Philadelphia about the 20th, and South Jersey fruit is on sale at the same time, but the market is scantily supplied until about the 10th of the month, from which time up to the 25th they are usually abundant, and often continue up to