188 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[December, 



Mr. Liclity opposed this proposition. He was 

 sure the exhibition would be a success. Already 

 $22.5 was guaranteed, and he didn't believe in a few 

 nieinbers paying out of their own pockets this money. 

 He thought there were enough honorable gentleman 

 in the society to make up any deficiency that might 

 occur. 



A number of members planked their dollars down 

 ou the table, and there was a long rambling discus- 

 sion on various propositions to secure the machine. 

 Finally, H. H. Tshudy moved that the Society 

 accept the offer of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, providing 

 the cost does not exceed #20. This motion was 

 carried. Mrs. Camr^ron stated that the expressage 

 would be paid by her husband. 



There having been considerable talk about the 

 inability of some members to dispose of their ticket.-, 

 Mr. Kingwalt suggested they be usetj as currency.' 

 lie had adopted this plan and found it worked first- 

 Eggs Wanted. 



Mr. Long stated the oOO good, fresh eggs would be 

 needed for the incubator, and asked memljers to 

 donate the same. W. J. Kafroth said he would 

 furnish 50, J. H. Menaugh guaranteed 100 from 

 Spring Garden, Mrs. Cameron agreed to send some 

 game egge, but wanted them mixed with the others 

 so that no person would be able to secure a flock of 

 game chicks. Mr. Evans said Litiz would send HO. 

 It is intended to sell the chicks hatched to visitors at 

 the exhibition. 



Miscellaneous. 



Mr. Liehty moved that the treasurer be authorized 

 to draw his check for |70, the price of the incubator, 

 so that the machine could be at once sent for. 

 Adopted. 



H. H. Tshudy moved a vote^jf thanks be tendered 

 the gentlemen who got up the catalogue for their 

 labor in securing the printing without cost to the 

 Society. Adopted. 



Mr. Evans suggested members furnish corn, 

 wheat, buckwheat, etc' for feeding the fowls at the 

 exhibition. 



Mr. Tshudy suggested and Charles E. Long moved 

 that the secretary be authorized to employ some 

 competent person to wait on the newly-elected mem- 

 bers to the society in this city, and solicit their mem- 

 bership fee. It was adopted. 



On motion of John K . Trissler, it was decided to 

 hold the next meeting of the society on December 

 1.5, at lO;^ o'clock a.m. 



On motion of Mr. Johnston, the society adjourned. 



SPECIAL MEETING. 



A special meeting of the Lancaster County 

 Poultry Society was held in their room in the City 

 Hall, Monday morning, December 1.5. 



The following members and visitors were present : 

 Charles E.Long, city; Charles Lijipold, city; Wil- 

 liam Shoenberger, city; Hev. D. C. Tobias, Litiz J. 

 B. Liehty, city; S. N. Warfel, Strasburg; John A. 

 Stober, Schoeneck; A. H. Hostetter, city; Frank R. 

 Diffenderffer, city: C. -\. «ast, city; George A. Geyer, 

 Spring Garden; John Burrowes, city; H. H. Tshudy, 

 Litiz; J. B. Long, city; W.J. Kafroth, West Earl; 

 Ferdinand Shaeffer, city; John E. Sebum, city; Eli 

 J. Barr, Litiz. 



On motion the reading of the minutes of the 

 previous meeting was dispensed with. 



Mr. Charles E. Long, from the Executive Com- 

 mittee, reported tliat the incubator had arrived, and 

 was working very satisfactorily. The machine is at 

 present at 111' residence of Mr. J. B. Liehty, who 

 has charge of it. He thought the machine was 

 going to prove a success. The eggs were placed in 

 the incubator, and unless no unforseen accident 

 sliould occur, chickens would be hatched every day 

 during the show. 



Mr. Warfel said there were a few features in 

 poultry shows that are very interesting, and among 

 these features he mentioned the exhibition of golden 

 pheasants. He thought some of these fowls should 

 be procured for exhibition, as they would add greatly 

 to the show. 



Mr. Lippold suggested that the society should 

 buy a pair and place them on exhibition. 



Mr. Long said there was no doubt these fowls 

 would prove a valuable addition to the show. They 

 were very expensive, however, and would require a 

 very large cage in order to accommodate them. He 

 also suggested that .Mr. Warfel be instructed to 

 corrc6|>oiia with Mr. 1 ;:, nfNew York, and make 



.Mr. Wui 1. I n-|.r, iiuli\ ihclined the honor, and 

 thought till- alhiii roulil hr ;nn-iided to more promptly 

 and with belter ^ul•^•l■^^ Ijy the Executive Committee 

 of the society, and he therefore moved that the sec- 

 retary be instructed to procure the pheasants. 



The motion was amended by providing that the 

 cost shall not exceed $10. The motion as amended 

 was carried, and the secretary was instructed to 

 procure the birds. 



Mr. Warfel said that Mr. Drexel, of Philadelphia, 

 had some white peafowls, and he knew they could 

 be procured by the society free of charge. He also 

 thought they would be a valuable addition to the 

 show. 



Mr. Lippold said that the express charges would 

 not be overS'1.25, and he therefore moved that the 

 matter be placed in the hands of the Executive Com- 

 mittee, with power to act. The motion was carried. 



Mr. Liehty said that several entries had already 

 been made for the exhibition; and he urged upon the 

 members the necessity of making their entries as 

 soon as possible, in order that should additional 

 coops be required, they could be ipanufactured in 

 time for the opening. 



Mr. Lippold said that -Mr. Liehty was kind enough 

 to offer a silver cup for a match between Antwerp 

 pigeons. He thought, however, that the distance 

 the birds should fly should be announced in iime to 

 perniii tlir- binlR tn lie trained somewhat. 



Mr I i. 1:!'. .Ill iliathe had purchased a cup for 

 tlir|i,i i .nril. The birds are to be placed 



oil . Ill , II , I III ;-,liow. The birds are to fly from 

 lu Id I.". MiHr., Ill ilie winner to receive the cup. 

 He would not iiicntion the place from which the 

 birds are to be flown, as it was his desire not to give 

 the birds any practice. He was, however, willing to 

 make the distance 25 miles. 



Marcus G. Sener, of Lancaster, Aaron Good, of 

 Elizabethtown, H. L. Stehman, of Rohrerstown, 

 Samuel Engle, Marietta, B. J. McGrann, of Lancas- 

 ter, J. Gust Zook, of Lancaster, and Samuel Eaby, of 

 Elizabethtown, were elected members of the society. 



Mr. Schoenberger thought it would be advisable 

 to set apart a day for school children, and lower the 

 price of admission to five cents on that day. 



Mr. Long suggested that they be admitted on 

 certain days for several hours for a reduced rate of 

 admission. 



On motion a committee was appointed to make 

 nominations for otlicers to be elected at the meeting 

 in January. 



The following is the commitk-e: Messrs. J. A. 

 Stober, H. H. Tshudy and J. B. Long. 



On motion of Mr. Ktifroth, an invitation was 

 extended to the Children's Home to visit the show at 

 a convenient time. 



On motion the society adjourned. 



LINN.ffiAN SOCIETY. 



On Saturday the 29th of November, the Linnsean 

 Society met statedly, and on motion, Professor T. R. 

 Baker took the chair. Tlie preliminary opening 

 being attended to,4he donations to the museum for 

 this month were examined and found to consist of a 

 number of specimens sent to Dr. Rathvon, from Cali- 

 fornia, per Mr. John Wittich, of Elkgrove, Sacra- 

 mento county, California. Among them were the 

 following: 



Petrified wood from that geological wonder, the 

 buried forests of California, lately illustrated and 

 fully described. A large shell of the HalioHs tnbcr- 

 cidiila ov CAY shell. Mr. W. states they are called 

 "Alialniii-;" that they .idhere tn the rocks so firmly 



that IK) our i.x nlilrlfi jiiill tl i off with the b.and6 



only: tluit Mil III 'i i- - liil lis a piece of pork and 

 far'lii-itri- III I li I n -jiiak.-. Iriim experience. 



TliifppiTinirii IN. I,. II' ihili.s in width and 8 in 



length, uijil lii-auiiiiii:> nia-iin in its inner cavity. 

 There are about ma' I nninil s|ii-(i<-s described 

 Other shells of Gasl, r. ■:>■„! n, ii liy-lbotcd Mollus- 

 cous" animals, embraiinL' > i^lii ouli is, smong which 

 are specimens of FU^m-Jia, ahicld-bliaped, perfora 

 ted at the summit, exterior surface ribbed. Nine 

 species of the "Limpet" family , rather too water worn 

 to decide the exact species. "A sea-urchin" or sea- 

 egg of the family Ectiiiioxidif, but broken into frag- 

 inents on its way, not being protected by a tin or 

 wooden box. A rather novel specimen of the "chiton 

 family," which seems to be a species of Trachyder- 

 moH. A most magnificent cluster of J'ullkipes, 

 having a tubular, "tendinous, scaly |K-.lun(le, of 

 which six speciesof each geniis an .1, ^iriln .1, and a 

 specimen of each figured. This lainil\ nl I'irrhi- 

 p:rfa has ten genera, among wliii h ar.- ihr Itarnacles 

 balUHiis. Several iiatiM- saline sp. i iiiieiis, one of a 

 white color, like a larlnmair III soda; the other 

 yellow, of a highly stypiir ia>tr, liki- sulphuret of 

 iron combined with aluniiiui. Min.ials— A specimen 

 of "Serpentine," one n appearance of black quartz; 

 another, a kiud of brown oxide of iron. Also among 

 the lot a delicate algae, and a skin of some rodent, 

 allied to the squirrels. Mr. Willich's diary was 

 published in the October number of the Lancaster 

 Farmer, which gives much information of interest. 

 The Linnasan Society give their hearty thanks to Mr. 

 Wittich, and hope others will do likewise. Thirty 

 cents po.xtage for a distance of 1,000 miles by mail, 

 is a small item, while its benefit in a scientific point 

 of view is great. 



Mr. C. M. Hess, of Quarry ville, left specimens of 

 a micaceous oxide of iron found abundant near his 

 place, to be analyzed by the State assayist at Harris- 

 burg, Pa. 



Another addition was a large specimen of the 

 Fsmulotrifon, now under Hartnesque's name of 

 N/ielcrpes logicmulHs, Cave Salamander. Mr.Stauffer 

 said of this: I would remark here, that I have the 

 longicanda colored and figured, and named by Prof. 

 Cope for me. Then I have another specimen figured 

 which has a shorter and fiattish tail like the tritons 

 and is like the specimen figured,which has a shorter 

 and fiattish tail like the tritons and is like the speci- 



men donated by Master D. Knight. Although alike 

 in color and spots, I am inclined to think that it is 

 an undescribed species, and confounded with the 

 longicanda, and deserves further attention. H. L. 

 Hendriekson donated a very large specimen of a water 

 bug, tbeBeloxtoma gramlU, captured intheChickies. 

 The follicles of the "sack-bearer" or "basket 

 worm," unfortunately named "Thyridopteryz ephe- 

 nuera forinis," taken from the arbor vitse, by Mrs. 

 Ellmaker, Gap, Lancaster county. A seventeen year 

 locust (Cifiuto neptemdcciiii.), in its pupa state, at 

 eleven years of age, dug out in September last by 

 George 0. Hensel. A fine specimen of a crustaccau 

 taken out or from among oysters, by Samuel Road- 

 man. 



Specimens of leaves of the Elm tree pasted on a 

 card, to show the work of perforation by the Elm 

 Beetle, Oaleritea^aiithmnalena, iurinu: this summer 

 on our city shade trees. Also the leaves of the 

 Maple (Acer mcchareurii) infested by Pseudococcm 

 aceris, during October last, neatly pasted on ca.-ds 

 with flocculent cottony masses adhering. A singu- 

 lar large oblong pellet of hog's hair packed together 

 taken from the stomach of a fat hog owned and 

 slaughtered by Mr. Aaron Zell, of Springville, Lan- 

 caster county, Nov. 24, 1879. A large puff-ball, 

 Lycoperdon, from the office of the jVchi Mra. 

 Additions to the Library. 



Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1878, 

 with the compliments of the Commissioners, amply 

 illustrated. Special report No. 18, an essay ou tea 

 culture in the United States, by William Saunders. 

 Report of the Commissioners of Education, 1877. 

 Pamphlet, Bibliotheca America. Book Catalogues. 

 Patent Office Oazette up to November 25, 1879. ' The 

 Lanoasteb Farmer for November. 



His orical Collections. 



Afac simile of a. petition, dated August 27, 1726, 

 to the court of what was part of Chester county, for 

 a license to open an ordinary (otherwise a brewery) 

 at Donegal run, on the road leading from Marietta to 

 .Mount Joy; donated by Samuel Evans, E.sq ., of 

 Columbia, Pa. About a. year ago Squire Evans 

 published short biographical mtices of these' signers, 

 ministers, church niembers and farmers. The house 

 is still standing and in good condition to last another 

 century. A pin on a card, from an assessment roll 

 dated 17.51, per S. Evans, Esq. A photosrraphic 

 bird's-eye view of Paris and Exposition, 1879. An 

 original bill dated October IS, 1787, against Jasper 

 Yeates, Esq., debtor to Franklin College lor one quar- 

 ter's tuition for John, .£1. Receipted and signed 

 W. Reichenbach, per D. M. M. Stauffer. Eight 

 European papers sent home per Mr. C. A. Heinitsh, 

 druggist, during his visit in 18-18; donated by Mr. 

 Heinitsh. Three envelopes containing forty-three 

 clippings of historical interest, by Dr. Rathvon. 

 P.ipers Read. 



Dr. Rathvon read a paper on the California and 

 other contributions, with notes and comments. No. 

 ,531. J. Staufi'er read an illustrated paper. No. 533, 

 on the crustacean given him by .Mr. S: H. Roadman. 

 It compares nearly in evir y particular with a species 

 described in the Uiiiiiil .~;'iairs ri-li Commissioners' 

 Report page .571-2. Tlir -V. / n- ',i ffmulit, ^y Harger, 

 the only specimen yet taken, timnil on the dorsal fin 

 of a fish. On comparisira with numerous others, it 

 failed to agree generically, hence he considers it a 

 species of Xerocila. 



Under scientific miscellany, various topics were 

 discussed. M. L. Davis, M. D., Mil lersville, depos- 

 ited the remains of the skeleton of the five-legged 

 frog. The fifth leg seems to have been double in 

 its long structure and the muscular portions adherent 

 from the opposite sides only. The pelvic articula- 

 tion was, however, higher up and to one side, with- 

 out an osseous cavity; a caililaginous ligature held 

 it in place. 



The Society adjourned to meet (annual) on Satur- 

 day the 27th of December next, 1879. 



AGRICULTURE. 



The Origin of Wheat in America. 

 It is difficult in the present day to realize the fact 

 tliat wheat was at one time uukown in America; yet, 

 prior to the discovery of that continent by Columbus 

 there was no cereal in America approaching in na- 

 ture to the wheat plant. It was not, observes the 

 American Miller, until 15:i0 that wheat found iis 

 way into Mexico, and then only by chance. A slave 

 of Cortez found a few grains of wheat in a parcel of 

 lie and showed them to his master, who ordered 

 them to be planted. The result showed that wheat 

 would thrive well on Mexican soil ; and to-day one 

 of the finest wheat valleys in the world is 

 near the Mexican capital. From Mexico the 

 cereal found its way to Peru. Maria D'Escobar, 

 wife of Don Diego De Chauves, carried a few 

 grains to Lima, which were planted, the entire pro- 

 duct being used for seed for several successive crops. 

 At Quito, Ecuador, a monk of the Order of St. 

 Francis, by the name of Fray Jodost Bixi, introduced 

 the new cereal; and it is said that the jar which con- 



