TRANSACTIONS OF GALESBURO. HORTICtlLTURAL SOCIETY. 



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to 25^; May, 39X to 3S'Ai June, $1)4 to 4^)4i July. 401^ to 37^. The ratio for 

 the six months is as 192^-^ to 177 in favor of the forest. 



During the following five months of the same year the degree of saturation of the air 

 is as follows: March, 71. i in the forest to 70 in the open country; April, 64.3 to 64.2 ; 

 May, 64. 1 to 60.4; June, 60.9 to 60.1; July, 54.6 to 53.8. Hence we see that the 

 results of these experiments seem to confirm the conclusions of reason. If future 

 observations shall harmonize with those already made it may be positively affirmed, 

 what we now believe, that forests serve to augment the annual amount of rainfall. 



Judge Lanphere said the reading of the foregoing paper brought 

 him back, in memory, to the region of his early home in the East, which 

 fifty years ago was covered with a heavy forest growth and also abounded 

 in trout streams and rivulets. Twenty years ago the same country had 

 been almost completely denuded of its forest, and similarly there was 

 noticeable a lack of moisture and absence of the older streamlets. 



APRIL MEETING. 



The Society met at the residence of Mr. David Sanborn, on Tuesday 

 evening, April 8th, after a postponement of two weeks. 



Those members of the Society who came expecting to partake of the 

 promised lunch upon "Rainfall" were no doubt fully satisfied with an 

 excellent and substantial meal upon "Spring planting and the best things 

 to plant." The President stated that the change in the subject was 

 thought advisable by the Executive Committee, and suggested that the 

 reading of the report of a committee on the same subject made at a 

 meeting held March 5, 1878, would furnish groundwork for the evening's 

 discussion. 



Mr. Humphrey thereupon read the report detailing the list of vege- 

 tables recommended by the aforesaid committee and the best manner of 

 cultivating the same. 



Mr. Hale said he thought the report in the main a good one. There 

 were several points, however, which did not coincide with his experience. 

 First, in relation to the planting of asparagus. The recommendations of 

 the Horticultural Society were made to gardeners, to those planting small 

 pieces of ground, and not to farmers. He thought asparagus in gardens 

 should be planted six inches apart in the rows; rows to be about eighteen 

 inches apart; a heavy layer of manure should be forked in early in the 

 season ; thinks this is preferable to leaving the soil bare during the 

 suminer. Mr. Hale thought that those who would have good asparagus 

 should raise their own plants, especially as the raising is unaccompanied 

 by any great amount of labor. Plant the seed three or four inches apart, 

 thin out plants sufficiently for growth and the second year will develop a 

 vigorous root, when the plants should be about four inches apart; the 

 third year they will be excellent. He agrees substantially with the report 

 on beans. The poles should be placed first, beans to be planted with the 

 eve downward, by pushing the thumb and forefinger into the earth, 



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