FAEMEES' INSTITUTES. 317 



Secretary Baird. — Do yoii not think that clover draws sufficiently from the 

 subsoil ? 



Mr. Owens. — I do tliink that clover does draw largely from the subsoil, but 

 I do not like to depend too much upon clover, for land may become clover sick. 

 I would rather alternate with timothy. 



An inquiry relative to the destruction of Canada thistles was responded to by 

 Prof. Ingersoll, who said they may be destroyed by keeping them below the sur- 

 face by plowing them under, burying with straw and cutting the thistles down. 

 Putting salt on them and letting sheep feed on them -will destroy the pest. 



Thorough cultivation will kill quack grass and milk weeds. Going over a 

 patch of Canada thistles every few days with a cultivator through a season is 

 sure to kill them. 



Dr. Miles gave an unwritten address on the subject of "Stock Breeding." 

 He claimed that the good breeder must have good judgment, a good eye, and 

 pursue his system unvaryingly, with his ideal always in view. That the char- 

 acter of the parent is transmitted to offspring, is attested by the, peculiarities 

 of diiierent families, species of animals, etc., that have come down to the pres- 

 ent through long lines of generations. Breed only from such animals as possess 

 the character you want to perpetuate. The Doctor in this connection discussed 

 in-and-in breeding, stating at the outset that he had yet to learn that it was 

 dangerous or injurious, and he controverted the idea of danger and injury by 

 statistics of insane and idiotic asylums where investigations had shown that not 

 a single case had resulted from consanguine marriages. 



The improA'ement of animals may be effected by changing the habits. The 

 gait of the trotting horse is acquired, and this trotting character has come to be 

 transmitted from prepotent parent to offspring, as in the Hambletonian breed 

 of horses. Other instances of change of habit resulting in change of character 

 were mentioned. 



In response to an inquiry, Dr. Miles said the best beef-producing animals are 

 poor milkers, as the short-horns. The combination of good beef producer and 

 good milker w'ill dejiend much on the care. The Galloway, he suggested, came 

 nearest this character. 



Prof. Gulley's name was on the programme for an address on "Underdrain- 

 ing," and considerable disappointment having been expressed because there had 

 been no discussion on the subject of drainage, Prof. Ingersoll was called for. 

 That gentleman appeared on the platform and made some interesting remarks 

 on this subject, first showing that underdraining does pay. An engineer should 

 be employed to insure good outlets where it may be difficult to determine with- 

 out engineering. The drain should be laid so as to avoid very deep digging. 

 The benefits are that in the case of land too wet to get on to early in the spring, 

 you may gain several days' time. When land is wet, and therefore cold from 

 evaporation, drainage renders the land warmer and less liable to frost. Drain- 

 age too makes the soil more porous, — more workable. A large size tile is 

 deemed preferable ; it must be put down so that the fall will be uniform ; use 

 only circular tile well baked. Stone will not answer as well as tile. The collar 

 he considered about superfluous. On level land place the lateral drains thirty- 

 five feet apart, three feet deep. As to fall, he said they had one drain that 

 works satisfactorily with only one-tenth of a foot fall in sixty feet. A fall of 

 one inch in four rods is sufficient. 



Adjourned till 7 o'clock. 



