AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 121 



bushels of wheat per acre has been grown, taking the State Society premi- 

 um. Mr. Wilson, who died last week, left a fifty acre field of clover, right 

 in the midst of the scrub-oak barrens, just as fine clover as ever grew ; and 

 the whole of the soil called barren, can be renovated by clover, even upon 

 worn out farms, and made equally productive as Mr. Wilson's. 



Prof. Mapes.— The first cultivators of the Hempstead plains, I know. 

 James Pool was the first man who cultivated this land, at a time when it 

 was considered so poor and valueless that he was permitted to fence in just 

 as much as he pleased ; and that land is still in use, and very productive. 

 Dr. Peck. — There are now some of the finest grass farms in the State, 

 near where Wm. Cobbett lived, in North Hempstead, upon the tract still 

 known as the Plains, and which belongs to the old town of Hempstead, 

 and which the people will not allow to be sold, because it makes a common 

 cow pasture, and those who use it for that, insist that it is good for nothing 

 else. 



The discussion was continued at considerable length, with a general 

 agreement, that not only the barren land of Long Island, but all similar 

 land, can be renovated, and made to produce any other crop, by clover, 

 and that that is the cheapest and easiest means in the world, to renovate 

 worn out lands. 



LONG ISLAND CHERRIES. 



Mr. Bartlett showed a branch, handsomely loaded with cherries, from a 

 tree growing in the " worn out soil of Long Island," just to show how that 

 land can be renovated, and made to produce choice fruits. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



H. S. Finley, in a letter from Davenport, Iowa, says : " I have not suc- 

 ceeded well with strawberries, and I want to ascertain the quantity each 

 of lime, salt, and water, to apply to an acre, as I saw the matter referred 

 to in the report in the ' Tribune,' of the proceedings of the club, which I 

 read with great satisfaction." 



R. G. Pardee gives the desired information, as follows : For a plot of 

 ground 20 by 20 feet, I would use one bushel of unleached ashes, to give 

 It the needed potash, and one peck of salt, dissolved in water to a point of 

 saturation, with which slack one bushel of lime. 



VISITORS OF THE CLUB. 



Don Permin Ferreir, of Nicaraugua, was present at the meeting to-day ; 

 and a friend of his stated that he has sometimes as many as 10,000 head of 

 cattle on his hacienda. There were also several ladies present, notwith- 

 standing the excessive heat, and it is intended, by and by, to get up 

 discussions in which they can take part, as in the cultivation of flowers, 

 and household matters of great interest to the female portion of society. ' 



Prof. Nash.— As to the true character of Long Island lands for cultiva- 

 tion, he has lately examined them carefully, and expresses much surprise 



