Pbooeedings of the Farmeb^ Club. 191 



plants have some peculiar function adapted to each period of the 

 year. The vegetable clock work is so set as to go for a solar year; 

 and plants have, by their nature, a periodical character not depend- 

 ent on meteorological causes, which shows a thorough adaptation 

 and asrreement of the floral to and with the astronomical calendar, 

 showing a harmony of arrangement such as always, and in every- 

 thincr, works the work of the all-wise Creator." 



NEW LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR. 



A new lightnmg conductor was exhibited, which was made of 

 strips of copper, formed by dies, into the shape of two distinct 

 tubes, laid side by side with each other, so that when cut, the 

 traverse section resembled the figure 8. The rod was twisted, as 

 is customary to make some kinds of rods. 



priest's improved basket. 

 Mr. W. H. Hunt exhibited one of these baskets for picking and 

 handling fruit. It is designed for use in gathering fruit upon the 

 tree, and when the basket is filled, it is let down to the ground by 

 the operator by means of a cord; when the cord is slacked, the rod 

 to which it is attached slips through the basket handle and allows 

 the hinged bottom of the basket to open outwardly, and the fruit 

 is gently discharged as the basket is raised. 



HAND cultivator. 



Messrs. Blymer, Norton & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, exhibited a 

 hand cultivator. It consists of a light frame, supported upon two 

 wheels at each end, with handles like a plow, and has a set of 

 implements for dressing the soil, by harrows, scuffle-hoes, &c., and 

 an iron wheel for cutting the runners off strawberiy vines. 



agricultural books for farmers. 



Mr. S. Edwards Todd, from the committee to select a few of 

 the best books for the practical use of farmers, submitted the fol- 

 lowing report: 



" The committee on agricultural books, in response to the requests 

 of correspondents, to designate a few of the best books for prac- 

 tical farmers, desire to state that they have selected the following 

 books as being the most reliable that can be found in our agricul- 

 tural libraries, viz: Facts for Farmers, by Solon Robinson; The 

 Family, the Farm and the Garden, by E. G. Storke; The American 

 Fruit Culturist, by J. J. Thomas; Tucker's Annual Register, by J. 



