796 [Assembly 



Mr. Wakeman presented a paper on the gutta percha, wliich will 

 be published next week. 



This communication, was accompanied by fine specimens of the 

 gutta percha manufactured into bands for machinery, book covers, 

 membranous sheets for covering ^rf{/V^, or other purposes, lines, mould- 

 ings, for buildings or furniture, &., &. 



Mr. Wakeman. I have listened to Col. Skinner to-day, and regret 

 to find fault with anything he says on the great suliject of agriculture, 

 but he says, "Appeal to Congress for aid! Sir! we have for several 

 years appealed to Congress for such aid; we have called for the con- 

 sideration of the long neglected advice of the greatest of men, Wash- 

 ington, to establish a national department for agriculture, and our ap- 

 peal receives no answer! no notice!" The Legislature of our Em- 

 pire State hears us with favoring ears! As to books on agriculture, 

 they frequently contain errors. But is that a reason for not persever- 

 ing in collecting and disseminating knowledge in the business, yes, 

 tJie Art of Agriculture! Draining is to us quite a different affair 

 from what it is in the moist countries of Europe or elsewhere! 

 Here our hot sun dries the earth with great power, and we have 

 great spaces of lands of every variety, so that we can select spots 

 suited to our purposes. Herafter the arts of draining and irrigation 

 may doubtless become more necessary to us. 



Col. Skinner says we ought to decide questions which are dis- 

 cussed in the Club. We talked that matter over at the foundation 

 of the Club, and with great unanimity concluded that our business 

 was to collect facts, to hear reasons and opinions, but leave the de- 

 cision to the sober judgment of the people. The Transactions of 

 the Club are published by our State at some considerable cost, let 

 the farmers read and decide. We talk what we think, as farmers 

 ought to do, and when some of us fall into error, we have the ben- 

 efit of being told so, by others who happen to know more on that 

 point than we do, generally on the spot, or if not, at a future meet- 

 ing or through the press. We have the evidence of public appro- 

 bation of our "Club" from all quarters. Generally four reporters of 

 our leading daily papers attend. 



Mr. Meigs. We are busy in collecting evidence to be laid before 

 the public, not in deciding for them. 



