AMERICAN INSTITUTB. 450 



very mucli as in former ages destro3'ed whole nations. Let us take a grand 

 view of this matter, and try to alter our plan and develop strong bodies 

 with strong minds for our successors here. If it is a vanity, it is at least 

 a glorious one. I feel almost a stranger here. Yet but a short time ago, 

 when I had the honor to deliver an address for the American Institute, I 

 knew almost all its members ; now I see here but one (pointing to Secre- 

 tary Meigs). Soon shall we all leave. Let us leave good behind us. I 

 have always found my family best in health, most free of the doctors, 

 during the fruit season, when I supply it fresh and ripe. 



Mr. Garbanati. — The doctors are often compelled to change their course. 

 We long chased the potato disease, and found its cause, an insect. 



Dr. Holton. — Let us reflect the immense external influences always 

 bearing upon us. 



Engineer Stetson. — Our business here is entirely for practical purposes. 

 Mechanism implies exactness to a given extent. Let us act accordingly, 

 examine, and then report facts. Microscope tell us the true nature of fibre, 

 in all our clothing. We decide with it that the mummy cloth of Egypt 

 was chiefly linen, and not cotton as generally supposed. We test animal 

 fibre cell, &c. I am not aware of its useful test of woody fibre, as yet. It 

 has served well in examining metals. Fuchs has done much in iron. It 

 may lead us to precision in choosing iron, both for strength and for dura- 

 bility ; for in fact we find great difference in iron in these most important 

 particulars — need I mention, in steam boilers ! — and the boiler makers, as 

 yet, do not understand it. Good mechanics do much by feeling as well as 

 by fracture, &c., but we want a test good for all ! that we may know posi- 

 tively what our boilers really can bear, and so with other forms of iron. 

 Sugar refiners, by the microscope, discover the best sugar by the crystal, 

 and the grape juice, or molassbS, and by a sample, will buy or not a whole 

 cargo ! 



Alanson Nash. — Wool staplers buy wool by microscopic examination ; 

 leather also, as to its fibre and tanning ; so too of drugs, in which the 

 cheating is bejond conception ; so too of counterfeit signatures on bank 

 notes, &c. The very real tremulous signature of the old president or cash- 

 ier, is detected, although it could not be co}>ied in the couuteifeit. I know 

 that I am a very imperfect philosopher, but I love facts. 



Mr. Veeder. — The remarks of the gentleman are very pertinent, not- 

 withstanding his disclaimer of being a philosopher. 



Dr. Deck had in Egypt examined carefully the mummy cloth. Herodotus 

 says they used some cotton. The main mass, which is very great, is linen, 

 made from some plant more like the fhorvihim tenax^ of New Zealand, than 

 our flax. They had also, chiefly for garments of their priests, a cloth of a 

 kind of wool not now known. The cotton resembles our Sea Island. 



Prof. Mason. — Why may not study of culture and manures for cotton, 

 give us Sea Island fibre, where now we grow only short staple, at one-fourth 

 less value ? 



