PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 239 



the requirements. We hope this will settle the sweet and sour 

 apple question for the next five years at least. 



The Chairman read an extract from a paper printed at Water- 

 bury, Conn., stating that an apple tree belonging to Capt. Hack- 

 staff, which until this year has always borne Peck's Pleasant, has 

 now given a crop of Russets. This letter produced an abundance 

 of talk, all to no purpose. The theory was that Peck's Pleasant 

 had grown upon grafts, and the Eussets upon sprouts of the origi- 

 nal stock. Dr. J. V. C. Smith related a story of an apple, tree, 

 which he knew in his boyhood, with pendant limbs, which touched 

 the ground and became partially covered by flowing or otherwise, 

 and there took root and grew so firmly that finally the old tree 

 was cut away, and thus the whole order of circulation of sap 

 reversed. It is well known that the Banyan tree grows in the 

 same way. I have seen quite a little forest which had spread out 

 around one original trunk. 



Sweet Corn— How to Preserve by Drying. 



Mr. R. S. Todd, Junction, Kansas, thinks it idle to can sweet 

 corn when it can be so much better preserved by drying. His 

 directions are: Take the ears when in good condition for eating, 

 pull off the husk and silk; and drop the ears one by one into boil- 

 ing water, to remain only three minutes. Such corn cooks as 

 quickly as an egg. Like an egg, it is hardened by long boiling. 

 As soon as cooked, cut it off, and put it in the sun to dry. The 

 last part of the drying may be done in an oven. It should be 

 frequently stirred, and care taken that it does not sour, which it 

 w^ill do if spread too thickly. 



Mr. R. J. Dodge said that a person who has had much expe- 

 rience prefers to boil the ears in the husk. 



Mr. Solon Robinson said he had found by experience that cutting 

 it off and drying without cooking, was decidedly preferable. It 

 should be cut over a plate or pan, so as not to waste the juice 

 and should be dried upon bright metal or earthen ware. 



A New Potato Digger. 

 Mr. E. S. Lenox, Lincoln county, Maine, applied to the club to 

 appoint a committee to see his potato digger in operation at Flat- 

 bujsh, Lone: Island, and Mr. Todd asked to have the same commit- 

 tee instructed to examine the work of Alden's improved horse 

 boe. Messrs. S. Edwards Todd and N. C. Meeker were appointed 



