178 TRANSACTIOKS OF THE 



He adverted to a fallacious theory on soils recently put forth imposingly, 

 viz : That as solid rock hears lichens, it will if coarsely granulated, pro- 

 duce a higher class of plants, wheat, corn, «&c. ; that when finely granulated, 

 as it is in the Miami Valley, Ohio, it produces fine crops of corn and grain 

 annually, and has done so for a great many years. The error which here 

 exists I wish to correct. The fertility of that or any other sandy soil is 

 not owing at all to the finenef-s of the particles, for whether fine or coarse, 

 mere scuid being destitute of organic remains, has no fertility, hut in fact 

 the particles of organic matter, which have been for ages in vegetable and 

 animal life, are in that sandy soil, giving it its fertility, and those minute 

 organics cannot be imitated by any chemical means in our power — like the 

 well known phosphate of lime which has progressed for ages, through 

 animal and vegetable bodies, has gained an adaptability to the plants in 

 such a degree that it is not too much to say that one ounce of it is worth 

 more to plants than a ton of the rock of phosphate which has never gone 

 through that wonderful process of progression through vegetable and ani- 

 mal bodies, which shows its powerful effects and defies all investigation as 

 to its true character. This doctrine of progression is original with Prof. 

 Mapes, and gains by closer examination. 



Mr. Disturnell placed on the table a very handsome white turnip, from 

 New Jersey, weighing eight pomids three oxcnces — one of many from the 

 same field. 



Mr. R. Gr. Pardee placed on the table a number of varieties of beautiful 

 artemi,<ias. 



Prof. Mapes adverted to the homoepathic manure — the tobacco ashes, 

 leaves, &c., to the tobacco plant — the cuttings, leaves, &c., of grape vines 

 to the grape vines. No question, a scientific process, using as manures the 

 organism in the closest affinity to the new growing plant — as the tartrate 

 and lees of wine, &c., to the vine — one ounce of which tartrate is more 

 beneficial to the plant than tons of the same tartrate raw. that is, not hav- 

 ing been used by plants. 



Mr. Provoost. — I apply all the refuse of my vineyard as manure to the 

 Tines. 



Subjects for next meeting, Dec. 7th — " Root feed for stock ;'* "Winter 



treatment of manure;" " Efi"ect of winter on clay and sandy soils ridged ;" 



" Sorghum and corn stalks compared as winter fodder." 



The club then adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary 



December 1th, 1858. 

 Present — Robert L. Pell, President of the Institute, Prof. Mapes, 

 Messrs. Benson, Benson, Jr., Hon. Frank Tuthill, Doughty and Pike, of 

 Jersey; Treadwell and Bruce, of Williamsburgh ; Burgess of Brooklyn; 

 Gardener, Dr. Gallagher, of North Carolina ; Provoost, of Williams- 

 burgh ; Lawton, of New Rochelle ; Selleck, of Connecticut ; Davoll, of 



