196 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



He Avas professor of the Garden of Plants of Paris, and President 

 of the Society of Acclimation. His father, Etieune Geoifroy St. 

 Hilaire, was cotemporary with Cuvier, and held that where Cu- 

 vier ended, with the examination of facts, was the proper place 

 to commence a philosophical investigation of natural history. 

 His labors were chiefly in discovertng the law of harmony between 

 the different orders of animals, and at the same time the law of 

 compensation, that a deficiency of one organ is counterbalanced 

 by a corresponding development of opposite organs. The son, 

 whose death has recently taken place, continued these researches, 

 and his labors have been very efficient and very acceptable to 

 lovers of natural history. 



ACCLIMATION. 



On motion of Mr. Robinson, the subject of "Acclimation" was 

 selected for the next meeting. 



On motion of Dr. Hawkes, Dr. Holton was requested to trans- 

 late from the French, the views of Prof. St. Hilaire upon this 

 subject, to be read at the next meeting. 



APPLES AND PEARS. 



Mr. Carpenter exhibited specimens of the Schwaar apple, one 

 of the oldest and best apples in the country. Also, of the Glout 

 Morceau pear, which is a longer keeper than the Lawrence, and 

 will command a higher price in the market. It is a great bearer 

 after the trees have acquired sufficient age. The Vicar of Wink- 

 field is a great bearer, but I have never seen it a good table fruit. 

 It lacks flavor. For late winter pears we have none completely 

 satisfactory. The Madame Eliza, the Marshal Dillon, and the 

 Beurre Clairgaut are good late pears. 



CUTTINGS AND LAYERS. 



Mr. Fuller. — Before I commence I wisK to say that I have no 

 sympathy with the spirit of gardeners who are unwilling to make 

 known their methods of propagating plants. I have never had a 

 secret in gardening, and I never will have. I cannot promise to 

 tell you anybody's secrets — I do not know that there are any 

 worth telling — but only Avhat I have learned from the reading of 

 many authors, and from practice ; for some of you may not have 

 had time to spend ten years in this study and practice. 



In the propagation of hardy plants there are certain principles 

 which govern us. The roots of a plant always come out of the 

 alburnum or inner bark of the plant. Perhaps there is a greater 



