AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 2*73 



If we undertake to effect the object by draining, the amelioration will be 

 indebted to the removal of superfluous matter. If by burning turf, the 

 ashes will be the restoring principle. If by the rotation of crops, the roots 

 of the previous crop will act as the restorer of the fertilizing conditions 

 requisite. If we summer fallow, restored fertility will no doubt be due, to 

 the decomposition of the matters, not removed by the crop, which increase 

 the vegetable mould. 



If all these fail, as they sometimes do, there is no way left but to analyze 

 the soil, and make a direct application of the missing ingredients, remem- 

 bering that plants invariably derive from a rich soil a certain proportion of 

 their organic food, of their nitrogen nearly all, of their inorganic food all. 



When you find a corn, wheat, or rye crop injured by insects, you may 

 rest assured that they will descend in the earth to the subsoil to deposit 

 their eggs, and if undisturbed, will appear in such multitudes the ensuing 

 season as to destroy the crop entirely. To obviate this difficulty, plow 

 3'^our stubble deeper than usual in the fall, which will bring them to the 

 surface, where exposed to the influence of a winter's frost will insure their 

 destruction. I have frequently heard farmers rail against deep plowing in 

 the spring for summer grain, which they say is generally destroyed by in- 

 sects. And I have given as a reason, that the insects of the previous crop, 

 that had deposited their eggs below the reach of shallow plowing, had been 

 brought to the surface by deep spring plowing, and exposed to the vivifying 

 influence of the sun, arose in countless thousands to destroy the crop. 



Professor Brown has stated before the United States Agricultural 

 Society, in Washington, that the State of Maryland lost annually fifteeu 

 millions of dollars by the ravages of the wheat midge. If so small a state 

 as Maryland, loses fifteen millions per annum, by this single species of 

 insect, what must the loss be throughout the United States, by all the insect 

 tribes combined. 



From long experience, I am perfectly convinced, that deep plowing in 

 the fall, in all our northern states, will destroy the larvae of so large a pro- 

 portion of insects that the crop will be saved. 



And in the southern states, an application of lime on plowed land, will 

 prove fatal to all insects, worms, and slugs, injurious to agricultural pro- 

 ductions. It possesses the wonderful property of falling into extremely 

 minute particles, which are carried downward through the pores of the soil 

 by the rain, until they reach the impervious layer, near which the insects 

 have deposited their ova, coming in contact with these, they immediately 

 dissolve them and gradually produce a fine mould, which may again be 

 brought to the surface, together with the lime, by sowing deep rooted clover, 

 or lucerne. And when these are again plowed under, the soil will be pre- 

 pared for the germination of seed and its reception. 



Subjects. — "Spring flowers, plants, seeds, trees, drainage, and pruning 

 the grape vine." 



The Club then adjourned. H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



[Am. Inst.J 18 



