I. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 373 



MEETING OF NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The New York State Agricultural Society, at its annual 

 meeting to be held during the present winter, proposes to 

 discuss especially the subject of forestry, and expresses a de- 

 sire to receive communications on the following subjects from 

 any one having information to impart, to be addressed to the 

 secretary of the society at Albany: 



1. What proportion of the area of New York is covered by 

 forest ? 2. What is the average number of acres of timber 

 annually cleared or destroyed? 3. To what extent are the 

 forests annually renewed by nature or by planting ? 4. What 

 kinds of timber yield the greatest profit to the forester ? 5. 

 What length of time elapses between the planting of the 

 seed and the maturity of the tree for cord wood? and 6. How 

 long between the planting of the seed and the maturity of the 

 tree for timber f This information is desired for every species 

 of forest tree grown in the state, as hickory, chestnut, ash, 

 elm, etc. 7. Should trees be trimmed or left tint rimmed in 

 plantations ? If they should be trimmed, what is the best 

 method ? 8. Is it more profitable to renew woodlands by 

 planting or to let them grow up naturally by sprouting or 

 otherwise ? 9. Is it better management to clear all the wood 

 from a piece of ground at once, or to cut only the most val- 

 uable trees, leaving the smaller ones to grow? Circular. 



WATER-GLASS FOR BUDDING TREES. 



An important use of water-glass is made in budding trees, 

 for which purpose it is to be mixed with finely-powdered 

 whiting or finely-sifted chalk into a paste, and the wounded 

 parts of the tree covered with it. In this way the exposed 

 surfaces will be completely protected against the action of 

 the weather, and by timely application and proper manipu- 

 lation all injurious results from the operation may be avoided. 

 9 C\ viii. , August, 1871, 62. 



PREVENTING IRON GARDEN-TOOLS FROM RUSTING. 



It is said that if iron garden-tools are laid for a few min- 

 utes in a solution of soda, they will be protected from rusting 

 for a long time, even if exposed continuously to a moist at- 

 mosphere. 9 C, September, 1871, 71. 



