PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 401 



highly. It has several important features, which will be found of 

 great use when plowing ceases to be done by horses. 



Distribution of Seed. 



The secretary of the club, Mr. John W. Chambers, reports that 

 he has sent out during the winter, to over twelve thousand appli- 

 cants, more than sixty thousand packages of seed. All who have 

 written to him have been supplied. If any of the applicants have 

 not received the seeds the fault is not his. 



The Rev. Samuel Griswold, of Conn., has sent to the club three 

 thousand packages of choice flower seeds to aid in this laudable 

 object. The club has also received a large quantity of seeds from 

 ladies and others for the same purpose. 



Adjourned. 



April 2, 1867. 

 Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the chair; Mr, John W. Chambers, Sec'y. 



Plastic Slate. 



Mr. W. Mallory, Bucyrus, Ohio, inquired if he could employ 

 plastic slate advantageously^, by plastering a house outside and in 

 with common mortar, that is employed for making inside walls, 

 and cover the outside wall with plastic slate? 



Mr. Allen, who has had some practice in the use of this material, 

 stated that, employed in this manner, plastic slate Avould be a sat- 

 isfactory success. He said that there have been many very poor 

 roofs made with this plastic slate, yet the fault was not in the 

 slate, but in the manner of using the material emplo^^ed. 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter. — I have recommended this article to my 

 friends, without having experience in it, and a gentleman at Long 

 Branch covered an expensive house with it, and in a few months 

 it leaked so badly it was ripped off. I think there must have 

 been some mistake iu the material, or in putting it on. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — The costly Masonic Temple at Boston is 

 covered with it, so also are many houses in this city. 



The chairman stated that there is no other subject connected 

 with building which is discussed by all classes of citizens with 

 so much anxiety as the materials of Avhich the roofs are made. 

 Every week, more or less letters are received from all parts of 

 the country, from farmers, who are inquiring about this kind of 

 roofing. 



[Am Inst.J Z 



