No. 144.] 387 



The question for next meeting — " Lime and salt in agriculture, 

 continued ;" " Small farm buildings without tenons and mor- 

 tices ;" and " The want of economy in warming our dwellings." 



The Club then (at about 2 o'clock P. M.,) adjourned to the first 

 Tuesday in January, 1855, at noon. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



January 2, 1855. 

 Present— President R. L. Pell, Judge Robert Swift Livingston, 

 Dr. Church, Dr. Waterbury, Prof. James J. Mapes, Solon Robin- 

 son, Mr. Pike, optician, Paul Stillman, Tousey, Titcomb, You- 

 mans, from California, Vail, Samuel Fleet, Coleman and Clark, of 

 Brooklyn, Low, French, of the Jei'sey Phalanx, and others — forty- 

 two members in all. 



Hon. Robert Swift Livingston was nominated Chairman by 

 President Pell. Henry Meigs, Secretary. 



The Secretary read the following papers, t2-anslations,&c., made 

 and prepared by him, viz : 



COLZA. 



From the great farm book of France, Maison Rustique, du XIX 

 Siecle, we translate the following : 



Colza is called by the English Rape, or Cole seed ; in German, 

 Raps ; in Italian, Colza. It is of the family Cruciferse, genus 

 Brassica, (cabbage,) and of the group called Brassica Oleracea ; 

 has been designated by botanists as Brassica oleracea campestris, 

 (that is) Field oil-bearing cabbage. 



There are two principal varieties — one the Winter, the other 

 the Spring Colza. The Colza or Colsa (which is still confounded 

 with the turnip, in some places,) has smooth greenish blue leaves. 

 The kind usually cultivated is known in Flanders by the name 

 oiCold Colza, because it is the Winter Colza. Its flowers are 

 usually yellow, its stalk more branchy, taller, the leaves are 

 thicker and larger than the Spring Colza, the principal merit of 

 which is, its early maturity. Winter Colza occupies the ground 

 from one summer to another, while the Spring Colza ripens its 



