PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERs' CLUB. 265 



A New Fruit from Japan. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter exhibited several specimens of this fruit. 

 It is neither apple, pear, nor quince, possibly a cross between 

 them. It was o-rown from seed on Staten Island. It is not o^ood 

 to eat out of hand, l)ut said to be excellent for cookiiig. As it has 

 no name, it was suggested by some meml)ers to call it Pyraponie 

 (pear apple). 



Mr. Carpenter also exhibited some Bergen pears, now in per- 

 fection, and in quality equal to the Bartlett. 



Mr. John G. Bergen said one of the peculiarities about this tree 

 is that it retains its foliage longer than any other sort. It origin- 

 ated upon Long Island. 



A New Potato Digger. 



Mr. J. S. Patterson, Whitney Point, N. Y., exhibited a new 

 potato digger. It is an iron stirrup hinged to the handle, and 

 operates as a fulcrum. The fork being inserted into the sfround 

 behind a hill of patatoes the operator places his foot in the stirrup, 

 pulls upon the top of the handle and throws out the whole con- 

 tents of the hill. It is said to work rapidly, and we have no 

 doubt, with one-half the labor l)y a fork without this attachment. 

 It will also prove useful in garden work, particularly in hands not 

 sufficiently strong to spade deeply in the ordinary way. The 

 whole expense of the attachment need not exceed fifty cents. It 

 can be applied to any fork and readily removed when not wanted. 



Salt Marsh Turf. 

 Dr. Snodgrass presented a sample of salt marsh turf forwarded 

 by A. P. Sharpe, Baltimore, for the purpose of getting the opinion 

 of the club whether it will answer a good purpose for manure. It 

 is one to two feet thick upon a white clay from which it separates 

 easily. Mr. S. says : "I would like to know its value as manure. 

 I have hauled some of it into my barn yard for the stock to break 

 up and mix with manure, but do not know whether that is the 

 proper plan. My place is situated around a creek or rather iidet 

 from the bay into which the draining of a large tract of land 

 enters. There is also a large tract of mud five or six feet deejj, 

 bare at low tide. Would that be serviceable ? How should it be 

 used ? Is there any machine to facilitate gathering it ? This 

 material is abundant on the eastern shore, and if there is any 

 virtue in it, would like to let the people know it. I thought of 

 collecting a quantity of the mud and spreading it on the land this 



