PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 281 



March 17, 1862. 

 Judge R. S. Livingston, of Dutchess county, N, Y., in the chair. 



ONION CROP. 



A letter was read from Dr. 0. W. Drew, Waterbury, Vermont. 



" For many years the onion crop has been an entire failure in 

 Central Vermont, and we have depended on Boston for a supply. 

 "When the plants get three or four inches high, they begin to turn 

 yellow and die, and then the bulbs become rotten and full of 

 maggots. Many experiments have been tried with lime, salt, 

 ashes and plaster, without benefit. 



" Last spring I sowed a bed with red onfon seed ; when the 

 plants were about four inches high, I found they were afiected as 

 usual. I poured a full stream of boiling water from a large tea- 

 kettle directly upon each row, and repeated the application. The 

 plants looked bright and trim as after a May shower. I lost no 

 more of them, and had as fine a crop of onions as I ever saw, and 

 the first I have been successful with for ten years. 



" Perliaps this remedy is well known, but timid people may be 

 afraid of so heroic treatment." 



Mr. Robinson. — I have tried this experiment on peach trees 

 with success. 



Mr. Pardee. — I think the water was applied to the roots, and 

 not to the tops. 



Mr. Trimble inquired where the maggot was found ? 



Mr. Robinson. — Li the bulb. 



Mr. Cavanach. — The onion is a very tender plant. I should 

 suppose that the hot water would destroy the tops. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I think the writer understands what he says. 

 If the top should die, the bulb would throw out another top. 



Mr. Weaver. — The experiment is worth trying. I think the 

 onion is very hardy. I have onions that have stood the frost. I 

 do not think the hot water would kill the onion. 



FRAUDS IN COFFEE, SPICES, ETC. 



Mr. Trimble, from the committee on frauds, made the following 

 report : 



The committee having the subject of ^^ Frauds'^ under consid- 

 eration, and finding it too voluminous for one essay, propose to 

 divide it into compartments — giving the first to '' coffee." 



The tree, bearing this useful and world-cherished berry, is said 

 to be indigenous in Southern Abyssinia, growing wild over the 



