PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 287 



into soup, there was no bean that excelled it in flavor. I do not 

 nip off the ends of the vine, but let them run up the poles, then 

 turn them down, and after a time turn them up again. I have 

 always had an abundant crop. I place my poles 3J to 4 feet 

 apart. Then I manure the ground and plant. If the beans are 

 started in a cold green-house, and then transpLjinted on a warm 

 day, you get them earlier than in planting them in the old way. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I generally start my beans in the hot-bed. I 

 observed a new plan adopted by one of my neighbors, last year. 

 He is in the habit of using poles five or six feet high, with rails 

 tied on the top, horizontally. The beans, thus treated, bear an 

 abundant crop. I am in favor of summer pruning, by nipping 

 off the tops of the vines, inducing lateral shoots to grow. 



Mr. Fuller. — The plan of nipping the tops of the vine, in my 

 experience, is the proper course to pursue. 



Mr. Cavanach. — Last year I planted the Lima bean about the 

 20th of May, in drills. The beans were three or four inches apart 

 in the rows. For the want of poles, I used pea-brush, and the 

 vines run all over it. I had a very good crop. 



Mr. Carpenter distributed grafts of the Spanish chesnut, and 

 of various kinds of apples. 



Mr, Fuller hoped that attention would be paid to the grafting 

 of this chesnut. If grafted on native trees, they will bear in 

 about three years. If the chesnuts are planted, it will require 

 from ten to fifteen years before they come into bearing. 



Mr. IJenry. — These trees grow in New Jersey very well. There 

 are some trees growing at Baskenridge, which produce good nuts 

 that bring a high price in market. 



Mr. Trimble. — Our native chesnuts are as far superior in flavor 

 to the Spanish chesnut, as that is superior in size to ours. 



A quantity of vegetable seeds put up by the United States 

 Patent Office, received from the Hon. F, A. Conkling, was then 

 distributed to the members. 



Subject for the next meeting : " Spring flowers and the neglected 

 fruits of our country." 



The Club then adjourned. 



JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



