126 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



The advantages claimed for such a fence over common perma- 

 nent board or rail fences, are first, the facility and ease with which 

 they may be taken up and removed to any desired locality; second, 

 the fact that it can be adapted to any surface however uneven, and 

 third, its cheapness, the entire wood-work, including posts, costing 

 at present prices of lumber, three dollars per rod. 



The convenience to every farmer of possessing a limited 

 amount of portable fence, is too palpable to need comment. No 

 Vv^ell conducted farm should be without, at least a hundred lengths. 

 There is much fencing that is not required to stand more than a 

 single season, such as that built around hay-stacks, sheep pens, 

 hen yards, &c. Very many times, if a light portable fence were 

 at hand, it would be used where it would not be required to stand 

 more than a week or month. As a mere convenience for such 

 purposes such a fence would be inestimable. 



Another advantage of this portable fence is that it may be folded 

 up and placed under cover during the Avinter season, and thus 

 preserved for a long time. A gentleman present said, he thought 

 the cost of the fence had been estimated at too low a figure by 

 the inventor. Reply was made that whatever might be said in 

 reference to the cost of this fence Avould apply equally to all other 

 kinds constructed of timber. 



Silver's Patent Excelsior Broom. 

 ^ Mr, Peck exhibited specimens of these brooms. The broom 

 consists of three parts; the handle, head or holder, and loop. 

 The loop is fitted into the handle by means of a scrcAv. The 

 holder is a case of tin, sheet brass or German silver, as the pur- 

 chaser may prefer, which clasps the upper part of the brush, 

 extending down about one-fourth of the length of the l)rush. 

 The loop is filled with the corn rightly in-epared for the purpose, 

 the holder placed over, and then the loop screwed into the handle. 

 Whenever the brush becomes too much worn, the farmer can 

 insert a new supply of corn, and his broom is new again. 

 On motion of Mr. Bull, it was 

 Resolved, That this club welcome the presence of Dr. Isaac 

 P. Trimble, of New Jersey, the entomologist of the Horticultural 

 Association of the American Institute, after his labors during the 

 past winter at Trenton, and that our thanks are hereb}' tendered 

 to him for the valuable information he has from time to time com- 



