630 [Assembly 



sow them broad cast, but they must be thoroughly weeded for a fine 

 crop. 



Mr. Hyde — If the turnep were a sure crop here it would be very 

 good, but it is very common for it to fail. Farmers have the impres- 

 sion that it depends on an adequate supply of rain, about the time 

 of sowing. The hostile insect is a very small one, which on your ap- 

 proach suddenly disappears by (apparently) jumping. It has cut oflf 

 whole crops in a very short time. I have tried the ashes over the 

 leaves without success. I have sifted soot over them with better ef- 

 fect. 



J. D. Williamson-*— A gentleman on Long Island, permitted me to 

 examine corn planted by him on barren sand. It was so planted as 

 to form his name. A wager had been accepted by him as to raising 

 corn on such land, by any method whatever. He made holes in the 

 sand at one, two and three inches distant from the seed in different 

 hills; he filled these holes with guano and covered them with the 

 sand. In hoeing he did not disturb these holes. He planted corn o» 

 the neighboring land at the time. The corn so treated with guano 

 is nine feet three inches high, while the other crop is two or three 

 feet high only. This gentleman is from Peru, and says this is their 

 mode of using guano on their sandy soils. I did not see any differ- 

 ence in the growth of the hills which had the holes one or three in- 

 ches distant from the plants. The guano was some of that imported 

 by Mr. Collins, and he obtained it at the Atlantic Dock, Brooklyn. 



Chairman — Our regular subject is in order, — the " making of 

 Domestic Wines, and Roots for Cattle." 



Dr. Underbill, of Croton Point — It may be useful to repeat, and 

 it is too important not to be thoroughly understood, that the Carrot 

 and Sugar Beet are particularly adapted to the dry climate of our 

 country. This beet, perfectly cultivated, acquires an enormous size; 

 is very nutritious, exceedingly fattening to cattle, and yields more 

 vegetable matter than any other, not excepting the turnep; is pre- 

 ferable to Mangel Wurtzel, but its saccharine is not quite so much 

 concentrated as that in the Carrot. I hope that our Agriculturists 

 will try them both effectually . A crop of these is absolutely certain! 

 drought or no drought! No insect injures either of them. I have 

 had sugar beets on my farm which weighed twelve or thirteen pounds 

 each. In France, cattle are fattened on them, (although they have been 

 subjected to the process of extracting the sugar from them,) to an im- 



