208 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



were occasioned by a deficiency in the soil of that material neces- 

 sary to form the skin. 



Mr. Todd suggested a cure of the disease by a liberal dressing 

 of the o"round with wood ashes. 



Mr. Smith said that he had covered a portion of his orchard 

 with the heaviest dressing he ever saw applied to any land, and 

 although it amazingly promoted the growth of trees, it had no 

 effect whatever in preventing the cracking of the fruit. 



Lightning Rods. 



The Chairman read a letter from Roseburg, Ohio, asking the 

 opinion of the Club about the use of lightning-rods, and whether 

 insurance companies usually make any difference in the rates of 

 insurance upon buildings furnished with rods, and upon the whole, 

 whether insurances are of any benefit to farmers? 



The Chairman said that some country offices make a difference 

 of five cents on the $100 in favor of buildings furnished with rods. 

 No office in this city makes any difference. They do not, as a 

 general thing, hold lightning-rods to be of any service. I do not, 

 myself, consider it any less risk, particularly upon barns, where, 

 as it is said, the steam from the hay often is more attractive than 

 the best li^htnincr-rod. The writer alludes to the fact that insu- 

 ranee companies have failed extensively. In this State all insu- 

 rance companies are compelled by law to keep their capital in 

 such a condition as to be a protection to those who are insured. 



Mr. Adrian Bergen, a Long Island farmer, thought that farmers 

 generally who had their buildings furnished with lightning-rods 

 felt a much greater degree of protection than those which were 

 not so furnished. 



Prof. Tillman believed lightning-rods were a protection, if they 

 are properly arranged. 



Mr. Solon Robinson said he would as soon expect to turn a 

 rifled cannon ball from its course with a piece of pointed iron, as 

 a thunderbolt by a lightning-rod. He does not believe in the 

 power of attraction of the most perfect points extending over ten 

 feet, and the proper arrangement of a rod which Mr. Tillman 

 speaks of would be to have such a number of bright points 

 attached to the highest part of the building that every ten feet of 

 space would be occupied. From these a continuous rod must 

 extend down to the earth and into water, or else so deeply into 

 the ground it always absolutely is moist. In that case it is highly 



