48 



Diseased Potatoes, SfC. — Profit of Hens. 



Vol. X. 



Premium — diseased Potatoes — American 

 Agricultural Association. 



At a meef'.ing of the Association, Monday, 

 May 5th, the following resolution, offered 

 by Dr. Gardner, was unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That this Association offer a 

 liberal premium for a series of investigations 

 into the nature and origin of the disease of 

 the Potatoc, to be made under the conditions 

 imposed by the Executive Committee. 



The Executive Committee, therefore, offer 

 under the preceding resolution, a premium 

 of S50 for the best investigations made du- 

 ring the ensuing season, in accordance with 

 the plan drawn up by the chemist of the 

 Association, and appended. They also im- 

 pose the following conditions : The compe- 

 titors to be or to become members of the 

 Association ; the papers and specimens to 

 be forwarded free of expense to the Execu- 

 tive Committee, through their Secretary, 

 Dr. Gardner, 412 Fourth street, N. Y., on 

 or before the Ist of November; communica- 

 tions, whether successful or otherwise, to 

 become the property of the Association ; all 

 persons ic the United States may become 

 competitors. The premium will be declared 

 at the general meeting in January next. 

 The papers sent to bear a motto without the 

 name or address of the author, these particu- 

 lars being contained in a sealed letter super- 

 scribed with the same motto. Investigations 

 terminating v/ithout the appearance of dis- 

 ease in the potatoe, but purs,ued in accord- 

 ance with the ensuing conditions, will be 

 received in competition. 



The following eocditions to be observed 

 by competitors for the premium of the Asso- 

 ciation, are respectfully submitted by order 

 of the Executive Committee. 



D. P. Gardner. 



May 8th, 1845. 



1st. The papers to be entirely original, 

 and in no part transcripts from other works, 

 to contain a record of the observations made 

 during the growth of the plants and con- 

 ducted on at least 150 specimens. 



2nd. The variety and character of the 

 peed potatoes, the mode and time of plant- 

 ing, the nature of the soil, its condition of 

 drainage, the manures used and previous 

 tillage, to be fully detailed. 



3rd. A daily i-egister to be kept from the 

 time of sowing to securing the crop, con- 

 taining the temperature in the sun and 

 shade, and the dow* point in the shade at 12 

 o'clock, with the state of the sky, the OC' 

 currence of rains, dews oi other meteorolo' 



* If the observer be not povided v\ith an instru 

 mcnt for ascertaining the dew point, the following 

 simple method may he adopted:— Let a little fresli 



gical conditions. The manner of taking 

 the dew point to be stated. 



4th. Five entire plants to be taken up 

 during each week after the third week fi"om 

 planting, and a record made of the condition 

 of tjie leaves, stems, roots and tubers, the 

 last being cut open and carefully inspected 

 with a simple microscope, and all unnatural 

 appearances written down with the day of 

 the observation. Diseased proportions to be 

 preserved by drying and forwarded to the 

 Association. 



5th. All insects discovered on the green 

 portions, roots, &c., to be examined, and at 

 least twelve specimens of each species in 

 the perfect (imago) state to be preserved 

 and forwarded to the Association. When 

 practicable, the caterpillar to be described 

 or figured, and the habits of the insect re- 

 corded. This condition to be performed in 

 tiie case of all insects whatsoever found 

 preying on the herbage of roots. 



6th. At least twelve specimens of tubers 

 in every stage of disease with a similar 

 number in a sound condition of the same 

 variety to be forwarded. The leaves and 

 upper parts of any plants presenting a re- 

 markable appearance, to be carefully dried 

 between sheets of unsized paper, and at least 

 twelve specimens sent, with all other objects 

 in the same box or parcel as the written com- 

 munication. 



Profit of Hens. 



It is frequently asserted that poultry is 

 more plague than profit. But this, like many 

 other assertions, must be taken with proper 

 qualifications. We contend, if you have a 

 good breed of fowls, take proper care of 

 them, and are near a reasonably good mar- 

 ket, that the keeping of fowls is as profitable 

 a business for the amount of capital invested 

 in it, as a farmer's boy, or the women of tho 

 family, can be engaged in. To prove this 

 we will cite one example. When we were 

 at the pleasant farm, last September, of 

 Messrs. H. and J. Carpenter, of Poughkeep- 

 sie, their brother, Mr. Gerard Carpenter, 

 showed us an account of the number of eggs 

 laid b}' their hens up to that time from the 

 1st of January. It was so exact and satis- 



spring water be placed in a dry wine glass and intro- 

 duce a thermometer, stir it freely in the fluid and as- 

 certain the temperature at the moment the dew on the 

 exterior of the glass is disappearing; if spring water 

 be not cool enough to create a deposit of dew, add a 

 few drops of iced water until dew is seen. The dew 

 point is the temperature at the moment dew first ap- 

 pears or vanishes but the latter is the best time for 

 examination. D, P. G 



