No. 216.] 669 



Carried — and Messrs Chandler, Williamson and Wakeman were 

 appointed. 



Benjamin Aycrigg. I have observed on the Allegany mountains 

 and the Mississippi, the belts of lorest arranged in the manner men- 

 tioned by Mr. Dawson. On the northern slope of the Allegany ridge 

 are found the pine and hemlock, while on the southerly slopes, the 

 resinous woods disappear and the hard woods are found. In the 

 mountainous parts of Virginia, Chesnut oak abounds; an entirely new 

 growth. 



Samuel Allen. In our expedition to Long Island, we must take 

 specimens of the soil of the barrens, near the now cultivated and fer- 

 tile plantations. As a general prejudice prevails against those lands, 

 we must be certain of our facts or we may be liable to ridicule. On 

 the occasion of the late visit, I examined Shelter Island. It is only 

 partially cultivated. I do not consider their large pastures as full 

 evidence of the fertility of the soil. But I found there fair crops of 

 grain and in some cases remarkably good. The pastures, however, 

 may be made to do ten times as much as they now do. There are 

 farms there of from 500 to 800 acres, and intelligent farmers there, 

 too. 



Charles Henry Hall. I am pleased to learn these fair evidences of 

 agricultural success, due, no doubt, to the intelligence of the farmers 

 in the management of all the manures within their reach. Long Isl- 

 and has long been deemed to have several hundred thousand acres of 

 land not worth a farmer's notice. But all is well watered, and I be- 

 lieve that proper cultivation can render the greater portion of it rich. 

 Perhaps it may be found to be a suitable position for our Agricultu- 

 ral School. Suppose that a thousand acres were used as range for 

 the animals under the care of the proposed school of the American 

 Listitute. Intelligent men reside in that vicinity, the railroad con- 

 venient, the climate has many more fair and equable days than the 

 main land, no tornadoes. It produces apples of a superior flavor. 

 The celebrated Cobbett said, " Here we have apples falling from our 

 trees in October, like golden balls," some weighing fourteen ounces. 

 Such apples were never seen in Europe. Culinary vegetables of the 

 finest order are produced here, witness those from the great garden of 

 General Jeremiah Johnson. The Rye of Long Island is of the very 

 best quality. No such rye bread as theirs can be found elsewhere. 

 No rust is known upon their straw. Their hay is likewise of supe- 

 rior excellence. I will not believe that Hemstead plains will not 



