No. 144.] 231 



Mr. Lawton in the chair. Henry Meigs, Secretary. 



James Athearn Jones, — A communication from him was read 

 by the Secretary, containing just remarks on agriculture. " Land 

 requires its breakfast, dinner and supper of healthful and nutri- 

 tious food. No living creature can subsist upon concentrated food 

 alone. It must have volume, and I believe weight. No lasting 

 renovation of soil without liberal use of barn manures. Deep 

 and frequent ploughing cannot make fertility any more than the 

 human body can be raised from ' skin and bone.' " 



Mr. R. Ryan. — Communication was read relative to the culture 

 of the grape, which he is well acquainted with practically and 

 theoretically from the first agricultural, horticultural and botani- 

 cal schools of Europe ; is a member of the Royal Agricultural 

 and Horticultural Societies. He refers to Alexander H. Stevens, 

 M. D. 



Mr. Lawton was requested to explain the uses of the bayonet 

 hoe, invented by the late Judge Buel. Mr, Lawton showed its 

 use as a small plough or cultivator, it being readily drawn six 

 inches deep ; and it is an excellent hoe when its sides are used, 

 and all the better for having its handle, necessarily, on one side, 

 thereby working better about the plants than the common hoe. 

 The figure of this new and admirable hoe is that of a short bayo- 

 net, that is, some seven inches long, whose thick end terminates 

 in a goose neck and deep socket in which the handle is inserted. 

 Both edges of it should be kept sharp to cut weeds well. Mr. 

 Lawton also exhibited his path hoe, which is a narrow blade se- 

 cured to an arch, with a socket for the handle. He uses this to 

 cut up the weeds in his garden paths. This hoe is about ten 

 inches wide. Another smaller similar hoe has a small rake on 

 the opposite side. The Club was much pleased with the Buel 

 bayonet hoe. 



The Secretary remarked that success in the field much depend- 

 ed on the implements employed. Nearly 40 year ago he joined 

 his learned and amiable friend Dr. Mitchell in recommending 

 well tempered, highly polished ploughs. He had, long before 

 that, left off the use of our common iron spades and hoes, and 



