No. 216.] 587 



Let us urge them to turn it in the fall, so that by exposure to the 

 winter frosts, the grubs may be killed, then harrow the ground in the 

 spring. Others say that when the young grass of the sod has started 

 in the spring, then turn it over and the grubs will go down to feed 

 on the tender grass, and let the corn alone. Farmers in different 

 districts differ about this. 



I present for examination a curious vegetable production of a vine 

 resembling in many particulars the hop vine. The potato, for some- 

 thing like that it is, resembles in figure a bishop. Mr. Dorr, of 

 Galveston, says that it is from the mountains of Mexico. It is an 

 annual, and is used there as a potato. Sometime ago I had two of 

 these potatoes, which I planted, the vines from them grew some 

 fifteen feet in length, and had twenty or thirty of these potatoes or 

 excrescences on the joints of the vine. 



Samuel Allen — ^presented a letter from Richard H. Jones, of 

 Charleston, S. C, on the subject of the new silk gra^s, which was 

 read. 



This silk grass is fiom the Yucca Filamentosa. Some persons are also 

 engaged in producing for market the fibre of bears grass, calling it 

 silk grass. Gen. Call, of Florida, i^ engaged in preparing the Yucca 

 Filamentosa. Mr. Jones desires to know what soil this plant delights 

 in? what amount of fibre it produces? what is its worth? &.c., and 

 where the seeds of it can be procured. 



D. Jay Browne — Gen. Call has communicated with the Navy 

 Department of the U. S. on this subject. The plant in question, I 

 believe to be the Yucca gloriosa, commonly called Adam's Needle. 

 It is a native from Virginia to Florida, and has been used from time 

 immemorial by the Indinas for cordage, nets, &c. It is cultivated 

 in England as a conservatory plant, being more perfect in its vege- 

 tation, as such, than when grown in the open air. 



Dr. Underbill. Mr. Beale, of New York, has brought here for trial, 

 an article to be dissolved in water, and in the solution potato seta 

 are to be steeped for twenty*four hours, and it is said the disease 

 will be avoided. Mr. Beale has three other packages for sale, at 

 cost. The article is prepared in England. Let some members 

 try it. 



