256 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



take their cotton; and, what they are now finding a great deal 

 harder to do, might stay out and keep their cotton, bnt they can- 

 not make cotton king ; the silk worm has something to say also 

 about the ruling of this world. 



Jfew siibject. — The subjects selected for consideration at th® 

 next meeting, were " pruning " and " hotbeds." 



February 17, 1862. 

 Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter in the chair. 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 



Dr. Holton read a paper upon the formation of a Statistical 

 Bureau by the government, and the establishment of a national 

 experimental farm, accompanied by a series of resolutions. 



Prof. Renwick moved to refer the whole subject to the Ame- 

 rican Institute, it being beyond the scope of this Club. 



The Chairman feared that nothing would be gained by such a 

 reference. Many efforts had already been made without success, 

 for some progress in this direction. If such a school of agricul- 

 ture could be established, great good would grow out of it ; and 

 New York is eminently fitted for its location. 



The motion to refer was agreed to. 



SWEET POTATOES. 



Mr. Robinson read a letter from M. M. Murray, of Loveland, 

 Ohio, calling attention to the importance of a more extended cul- 

 tivation of the sweet potato at the North, especially in the vici- 

 nity of cities, and offering to furnish an essay upon its cultiva- 

 tion, and specimens of sweet Nansemonds grown in the latitude 

 of 39^ deg. Sweet potatoes are now raised as far north as Chi- 

 cago and Detroit, 



On motion, Mr. Robinson was requested to write, accepting the 

 offer. 



Dr. Trimble. — The sweet potato observes the laws of latitude 

 and of soil. In the latitude of Philadelphia, which is 40 deg., in 

 consequence of the soil being peculiarly adapted to it, it is culti- 

 vated with success ; but not so successfully as two or three 

 degrees further south. In latitude 42^ deg., I had a soil pecu- 

 liarly adapted to it — a rich sand with a warm exposure ; and by 

 starting the plants in hotbeds, I was able to raise them. The roots 

 were large, but they were not good. They necessarily remained 



