274 [Assembly 



rotary digger, somewhat upon the principle of the one invented 

 by Gibbs, which was exhibited last spring upon the farm of Prof. 

 Mapes. He also exhibited a new plan of boiling sugar, by giving 

 more fire surface to his pans, without the least danger of burning 

 th^ sugar, as in the present mode of boiling in open kettles, set 

 directly over the furnace. His plan is to place his fire in a fur- 

 nace surrounded with fresh cane juice, and by dampers shut off 

 the fire before striking the charge from the pans. The plan seems 

 to be a cheap, economical one, and great saver of fuel. 



Another plan of a new machine was for digging ditches, either 

 by steam or horse power, which is different from its predecessors 

 for the same purpose, inasmuch as it digs only a part of the 

 depth at once, and deepens it by passing back and forth. 



LAWTON'S IMPROVED BLACKBERRIES. 



Mr. William Lawton, of New-Rochelle, exhibited some fine 

 specimens of the new blackberry of that place, which were eaten 

 with much gusto by the members ; and a bush loaded with fruit, 

 in its various stages, was admired as surpassing anything in the 

 blackberry line ever seen by most of those present. It contained 

 600 berries. The cultivation of this kind of fruit in gardens is 

 something new in horticulture. Mr. Lawton stated that all the 

 valuable qualities of the original plant are continued in his prop- 

 agation. His plan is to top off about one-third of the shoots, 

 which increases the size of the berries. Those which grow in the 

 shade are more perfect than those grown in the sun. This va- 

 riety affords more shade than any other known. The vines con- 

 tinue bearing, in favorable seasons, two months. The three-year- 

 old roots are the most fruitful. They bear a few the first season, 

 plentifully the second year, and very full the third year. He 

 planted last year 2,000 plants, that will produce two to four 

 quarts to the stalk this year. Shoots from old roots will average 

 a gallon of berries. Single stems produce from 800 to 1,000 ber- 

 ries, some of which are nearly an inch in diameter. Thirteen of 

 the berries weighed two ounces. This is not the common high 

 blackberry — cultivation does not improve that. This is a new 

 variety — they never ripen small — the seeds are covered in the 



