63 



The immense quantity of flax and hemp raised in our 

 western country, was alluded to, and the cheapness with 

 which it could be reduced to fibrilia and conveyed to the 

 mills ; much of the former being raised for seed only, while 

 the plant containing the fibre was little better than wasted. 

 Allusion was also made to the great variety of plants which 

 contain this fibre, and which grow spontaneously all over 

 the country ; and among us particularly the Asclepias and 

 Indian Hemp were cited. 



Beautiful specimens of the fibre of the Asclepias, or com- 

 mon Milk Weed, were here shown, which were of great length 

 and of a silvery lustre. 



Here was positive proof that some of our most common 

 weeds contain this fibre in large quantities, and without 

 doubt a few of them would repay cultivation for this pur- 

 pose, should Yankee ingenuity but continue its exertions in 

 pursuit of a substitute for the arrogant pretensions of King 

 Cotton. 



Remarks were then offered by Messrs. A. C. Goodell, Jr. ; 

 M. G. Farmer and others. [Mr. F. spoke principally of the 

 process of separating the fibre.] 



Adjourned. 



Monday, April I, 1861, 



Meeting this evening, H. M. Brooks. Vice President, in 

 the Chair. 



The usual business for the evening was suspended, in order 

 to pay a tribute to the memory of our worthy and honored 

 President, DANIEL APPLETON WHITE, who died at his resi- 

 dence in this city, on Saturday, March 30, 1861, at 2 P. M. 

 He had been the President of the Institute from the organ- 

 ization in March 1848, to the time of his decease ; and for 

 the eleven years previous had held the corresponding office 



