362 Transactions of the American Institute. 



represents. These thousands of unemployed men should know 

 where they can obtain labor and land. The Chairman does not 

 believe a special education is needed to make a successful farmer. 

 Many a man has left the yardstick for the axe and hoe, and made 

 more money than the old farmer at his side. As to their bein^' 

 rudely treated, I do not believe it. Let them only learn the mean- 

 injT of those two words, adaptation and tolerance, and there will be 

 no trouble of a social character. I hope that great numbers of our 

 unemployed will see these remarks of Dr. Higgins, and leave our 

 over-crowded cities for healthful, natural industry behind the plow. 



SUPERIOR SPECIMENS OF BEEF. 



Mr. Thomas Godwin exhibited some cuts of beef steaks from one 

 of ten bullocks fattened by Mr. Harvey Hicks, of Bourbon county, 

 Ky., for Mr. T. Lawrence, of Center Market, New York city. The 

 average weight of these steers was over sixteen hundred pounds, 

 and they are said to be the best ten ever exhibited in Albany. 



Mr. Godwin stated that Mr. Lawrence had also a great show of 

 Southdown sheep, which were raised on the Central Park, all of 

 which are fine specimens of mutton; he invited the Club to view 

 the slaughtered animals. 



These steaks were afterwards cooked at a neighboring restaurant, 

 and served up to several members of the Club, who pronounced 

 them of very superior quality. 



ANNEALING FENCE NAILS. 



Mr. R. M. Welles, Towanda, Pa. — Fence nails when properly 

 annealed, are doubled in value. How readily to anneal nails by 

 the quantity is convenient to know. My method is: First, choose 

 a smooth, hard spot of ground, at a safe distance from any neigh- 

 boring buibiing; there spread dry corncobs to the depth of six or 

 eight inches, and over enough surface to allow of the nails being 

 spread to a depth of one or two inches; cover the whole with 

 another layer of corncobs, and set the fire in the windward side. 

 The nails, when cooled, can readily be raked out of the ashes. 

 Good dry hard wood chips or other small wood will answer in the 

 absence of cobs. 



TO PRESERVE AUTUMN LEAVES. 



A lady coiTespondent sends to the Club her method of preserv- 

 ing autumn leaves: Gather them when the colors are the brightest, 

 and press them in a large book with a heavy weight changing 



