128 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Mr. Gore promised to do so. He had never found such con- 

 flicting accounts about any other place, and hoped to be able to 

 furnish some reliable information respecting it. 



DROUGHT. 



Mr. Carpenter had observed marked effects from the sprinkling 

 of plaster in drought, from its attracting the moisture from the 

 atmosphere. 



Mr. Gore had noticed the same result. 



Mr. Doughty had lately sprinkled plaster upon oats which were 

 all burning up from the drought, and the good effect was easily 

 seen. 



The subject of " Protection from Drought," was selected for 

 discussion at the next meeting. Adjourned. 



August 12, 1861. 

 Mr. Amos Gore in the chair. 



APPLES AND PEARS. 



Mr. Carpenter exhibited ten varieties of early apples, the 

 Bovine de Mai, the Drap d' Or, the Early Strawberry, the Sum- 

 mer Queen, the Summer Rose, the Red Astrachan, the Sweet 

 Bough, the Early Joe, the Indian Queen, and a chance seedling 

 as yet unnamed. The latter he described as fart, very tender, 

 and very juicy. It remains a long time upon the tree, is produc- 

 tive, and an excellent variety. The quality of apples does not 

 seem to be affected by the drought this year, although they are 

 prematurely ripening, and the crop, especially of winter fruit, is 

 falling from the trees. Of pears he exhibited four varieties, the 

 Beurre Giffard, Osband'a Summer, the Ott, and the Jargonelle. 

 The Ott is a seedling from the Seckel, and quite as good. He 

 took occasion to commend the accuracy of Mr. William Reed, of 

 Elizabeth, N. J., in labeling his trees, remarking that it is dis- 

 couraging to an amateur, after waiting several years for a choice 

 variety, to find that the result is some other miserable and use- 

 less kind. 



Mr. John G. Bergen said that the seedling was a first rate 

 apple. The pear exhibited as a Jargonelle is called by Downing 

 the Windsor Bell, and has been condemned by the American 

 Pomological Convention. He considered it a great wrong to 

 throw it out, for it is one of the most profitable pears that grows 



