PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 331 



sowed early, say in February, if possible, no matter if the field is 

 even muddy, for the reason that it requires to be frozen and thawed 

 out, like an}'- winter grain; but its roots are not sufficiently strong 

 to stand the changes of a whole winter. 



New Brunswick Oats. 



Mr. E. J. Evans, York, Pa., presented a sample of this kind of 

 oats, which yield forty-five bushels to the acre. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — I recognize this as the potato oats. 

 They are nothing new. By good cultivation oats may be made to 

 yield from eighty to one hundred bushels an acre. 



Fruit Preserving House. 



Mr. AVm. S. Carpenter showed a fine collection of pears, most of 

 the fall varieties, from the preserving house of Mr. Convoy, Boston. 

 Among this fruit was the Onondaga. They are all in a fresh state, 

 perfectly sound, and looked as if just picked. Mr. Carpenter stated 

 that the house is about twenty feet square, divided into four apart- 

 ments for keeping various perishable articles separated from each 

 other, and cost about $1,000. It was built under the patent of 

 Professor Nyce, to whom the public owe thanks for his etforts. 



Mr. R. J. Pardee — I had the privilege of tasting some fine 

 strawberries, in Bufitdo, two months after they came from the 

 vines. The house in that city is on an extensive scale, and cost 

 $100,000. They are enabled now to keep some articles which 

 persons fjiiled to keep at first. In particular do they preserve 

 fresh meat. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — The plan of curing meat by covering it 

 with parafine seems to me very successful. It is preserved a long 

 time. 



Whitney's Hop Trellis. 



Mr. Whitney exhibited a model of a miiiature hop yard, for the 

 purpose of showing how hops, grapes, beans or tomatoes may be 

 made to grow in a horizontal direction, after the vines have attained 

 the desired height above the ground. Posts are first set in the 

 ground, at certain distances apart, and six to ten feet long. Strong 

 wires extend from the top of one post to another over the entire 

 field. A horizontal trellis work is then spread out on these wires, 

 which is constructed of cords and wire. By this arrangement the 

 vines are all «preadout evenly in a horizontal plane, thus securing 

 perfect ventilation, and necessary light and heat to develop and 



