206 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



On motion, the question of Acclimation was continued for 

 another week. 

 Adjourned. 



December 16, 1861. 

 Mr, R, L. Pell, of Ulster county, in the chair. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Mr. Carpenter said that in consequence of tlie mildness of the 

 weather, his strawberries were blossoming; and a practical gar- 

 dener had stated that every plant thus blossoming would be des- 

 troyed. If so, the crop of strawberries next year w^ould be small. 



Mr. Robinson. — Mine have been blossoming all through Octo- 

 ber and November. 



Dr. Crowell. — Mine always do that. I cannot say that it 

 injures the crop. I noticed the same thing last fall, and I had a 

 very heavy crop this season. My method of cultivation may be 

 new to some. After the season is over I mow down the plants 

 close to the ground so as to destroy all the runners, which do not 

 form again during the fall to any considerable extent. I then 

 run a cultivator both ways between the stools, and then the sub- 

 soil plow. 



SEED CORN. 



Mr. Robinson read a communication from the New England 

 Farmer, of December 7, recommending persistent and extensive 

 experiments to settle the disputed questions about seed corn, 

 stating that if the result should be a gain of but three bushels 

 per acre, it would add millions of bushels to the product of the 

 country. 



Dr. Trimble stated that a North Carolina farmer for many years 

 had raised enormous crops of corn, which had commanded a high 

 price in the market, both to be sent south for seed corn and to be 

 sent north for hominy. His practice was to take off the irregular, 

 the small and the defective grains from the ear, and to use them 

 for planting, while the regular and perfect corn was shipped for 

 the market. 



Mr. Carpenter stated that a loaf of corn bread weighing five 

 pounds can be made for 6^ cents for the meal, while flour for a 

 similar loaf would cost nine or ten cents; yet the corn contains 



