674 [Assembly 



Oliver Smith gave a scientific account of the natural process by 

 ■which the fibres of flax and hemp are ghied together by albumen; 

 and suggested that the probable effect of the new method of Mr. 

 Anderson, might be not only to rid the fibre of the albumen, but 

 kyanize the fibre, thus rendering it much more durable. 



Mr. Wakeman desired the members of the club to take notice that 

 an agricultural address was to be delivered before the American In- 

 stitute and the public, at Mechanics' Hall, 472 Broadway, on the 6th 

 of September next, in the evening, by the Hon. Nathan Burchard, 

 of the Assembly of this State. This address will be of an unusual- 

 ly interesting character, we have no doubt, bearing, as it is expected 

 to do, upon the new system of thorough scientific and practical agri- 

 culture. 



Henry Drought. I am intimate with the established methods of 

 preparing flax; and am skeptical as to any important improvements 

 being made in the large way; it may possibly be done by the pound 

 but not by the ton! Rotting by water is cheap, the weather is 

 cheap, these have hitherto done it; and in Ireland labor is cheap. 

 It is there rotted in about ten days, and then eight more are required 

 to dry it, which is done often by speading it over young clover or 

 on mown fields. The rotting can generally be done here in about 

 seven days, (owing to the effect of the climate.) The tow is not 

 lost, it goes into several fabrics of a cheap kind. 



Mr. Wakeman moved that a special committee be appointed to 

 examine closely the fitness of the neglected soils of Long Island, for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Carried, and the following committee was unanimously appoint- 

 ed, viz: 



Charles Henry Hall, Charles L. Fleischman, Dr. Underbill, J. D. 

 Williamson, Prof. Renwick, with power to add to their number. 



Dr. Peck, of Long Island, on being named as one of this commit- 

 tee, declined, positively, on account of the general consideration 

 among citizens that he had a private interest to serve on this subject. 

 He said he had carefully examined a great many parts of fifty square 

 miles of the condemned lands, and was absolutely convinced of its 

 fitness for valuable cultivation. 



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