PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 199 



Strawberries. 



Mr. T. W, Ross, N. J., asks : " Cau the Wilson's Albany Straw- 

 berry be distinguished from any and all other varieties V if so, 

 what arc the distin2;uishino; characteristics ?" 



Mr. Solon Robinson — The only way for you to learn is by care- 

 ful personal examination of difterent varieties, which will enable 

 you to distinguish them as readily as you can tell red apples from 

 white ones. " Wilson's Seedling " and " Wilson's Albany " are 

 the same, and easily distinguished from most other sorts. 



Propagation of Pansies. 



Mrs. Merritt, South Haven, Michigan, sends the following, 

 which she proved successful : " The soil should be a light, rich 

 compost, made up of rich maiden earth, well rotted cow manure, 

 and leaf mold ; a little sand, if the compost is a little stiff. When 

 the bed is prepared it should be watered through a tine rose. 

 The cuttings should be taken from short-jointed, unbloomed shoots, 

 from the center or side of the plants. Cut close under a joint, and 

 do not use old shoots. Take off the lower leaves. Insert the 

 cuttings in the soil, and press the earth firmly around them, water, 

 shade from the sun, and when they begin to grow pinch off the 

 tops of the shoots to encourage their making strong and bushy 

 plants. Spring is the best time for propagating. 



Testing Seeds. 

 Mr. E. Humphrey, Shamong, N. J. — " I tested sorgo seed this 

 year by soaking in hot water, intending to plant only the heaviest, 

 but being short of seed, planted that also which floated. It has 

 made only about half the growth made by the heavy seed." It is 

 not enough that seeds should merely grow, they should have 

 power to give life and vigor to the young plants. 



Fish. 



Mr. Frank Pierce, Coventry, Chenango county, N. Y., "wishes 

 to know how to keep small fish alive without changing the water 

 often." Simply by keeping them in a stream of fresh water. Isn't 

 that perfectly obvious. 



Prof. Tillman — If aquatic plants are grown in water, it obviates 

 the necessity of changing the water as often as would otherwise 

 be necessary. The water may also be crated by machinery. 



Mr. George Bartlett said that was the mode practiced in the 



