AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 311 



lamUnl, hrouglit back, placed in a bonded warehouse, and sold under deben- 

 ture as the veritable article. 



The cultivation of buckwheat is neglected except in certain districts, 

 notwithstanding it grows upon light sandy soils, eradicates weeds, and en- 

 riches the land, besides admirably preparing it for the reception of many 

 other grains. Its growth is very rapid, but, being a native of a warm cli- 

 mate, early frosts have a serious efiect upon it. As a food for poultry, 

 hogs, cows, &c., it stands high, and communicates a fine flavor to milk. 



MILLET — [Pankuvi Soi-ghiun.) 



Bears smaller seeds than any other cereal grass ; the number of seeds, 

 however, compensate for their size ; it grows well in a sandy soil, and forms 

 the chief article of food for the sand}' parts of Nubia, Syria, Arabia and 

 India. It is very productive, and not unfrequently fermented into beer. 

 It is employed for bread, puddings, &c., and sometimes substituted for 

 sago and rice. In our climate it seldom ripens its seeds perfectly, and 

 therefore cannot be cultivated advantageously. The panicum arborescens 

 is reported by Linnajus to equal in height the tallest trees in the East 

 Indies, though the culin is but little thicker than a goose's quill. 



Solon Kobinson. — I have, as usual, an accumulation of letters urson 

 various interesting subjects, that are interesting because they elicit remarks 

 that are not only useful to the persons who make inquiries, or give iufoima- 

 tion, but to many others who read the reports of these meetings. 



WEEDY GRASS PLATS. 



Here is a letter from Edwin F. Torrey, of Honesdale, Wayne county, 

 Penn., who wants information upon a difficulty that troubles many other 

 persons. lie says : 



" I have a grass plat, or rather, it was a grass plat once ; but for the 

 last two years the sorrel and plantain have almost run the grass out. I have 

 raked it up every spring with a sharp iron rake, and planted lawn grass 

 seed profusely, and used horse manure, plaster and poudrette, but neither 

 of them seem to produce the desired effect. As I have rose bushes, dwarf 

 fruit trees, &c., planted around in it, I do not wish to spade it up if I can 

 avoid it. If you can suggest any fertilzer that will supply the chemical 

 deficiency, you will confer a favor which will be duly appreciated." 



Mr. Ptobinson then asked some one to tell this man, and so tell hundreds 

 of others, what to do with his grass plat. 



Andrew S. Fuller. — I think the difficulty may be cured with lime and salt. 



Prof. Mapes afterwards suggested that he should use the " lime and salt 

 mixture," so often described here — that is, lime slaked by water saturated 

 with salt, and left to effervesce in a pile, using the outside as it forms into 

 dry powder, and applying it liberally. 



Solon Robinson. — Here is a letter that gives us some useful hints about 

 potatoes. S. W. Brown, of Brimfield, Hampden county, Mass., says : 



" The Peach Blows have been our standard article for the last half dozen 



