396 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



keeping fruit is to have the air in the room pure, dry, and at or 

 near the freeziiis; point. I eflect this by means of a fan-blower so 

 enclosed and operated as to pass the air of the room through an 

 ice chest, or shelves loaded with ice, a sufficient number of times 

 to produce the desired effect. By this arrangement I have been 

 enabled to save my grapes with the bloom on, seemingly as fresh 

 as when on the vines. When this arrangement is carried out as 

 above, it will prove a success." 



Mole Teap. 



An ingenious mole trap, made of iron, for catching moles as 

 they pass through their runs, was exhibited. The discussion then 

 turned upon the utility of moles, and it was evident that those 

 men who advocate the extermination of moles do not really know 

 whether such animals are an injury or a benefit to farmers. 



Mr. John G. Bergen Stated that moles had done much damage 

 on his farm, as they had taken out his young corn. 



Mr. Thos. Cavauach said moles were very injurious to seed beds, 

 as he knew from experience. 



Mr. AVm. S. Carpenter thought that the moles were a decided 

 advantage to the fai-mer, as they destroy large numbers of grubs 

 which are injurious to vegetation. He thought that when moles 

 work among the roots of plants they were in pursuit of insects, or 

 worms, and not after the roots of vegetables. 



Mr. N. C, Meeker said he had some experience in the injury 

 done by moles. He did not know whether they did or did not do 

 injury. But it is evident that where there are moles, there is mis- 

 chief done. Perhaps mice do it. 



Mr. Dodge. — Moles are carniverous and never feed on seeds or 

 vegetables. 



Col. Harris. — I have seen moles take twenty rods of young 

 Osage orange. 



Mr. Dodge. — The truth is they were after the insects which 

 destroyed the orange. 



Mr. LaAvton said he had never before heard that moles are of 

 any benefit to any one. He had always found them a serious an- 

 noyance in burrowing in the earth where he had lawns. 



Rhubakb Wine. 



By a vote of the club, Mr. W. J. Sheldon, of North Guilford, 

 N. Y., a gentleman interested in this subject, was allowed to take 

 the floor, for the purpose of explaining the excellence of this kind 

 of wine. He stated that he has submitted the wine to the most 



