Proceedings of the Farmer^ Club. 457 



He believes he has discovered an art by which an ox killed on the 

 Savannahs of Texas, may be eaten as fresh beef in New York city, 

 and the poor of London and other great European cities may have 

 an abundance of fresh mutton slaughtered on the great plains back 

 of Rio Janeiix), or near Melbourne in Australia. He considered 

 the whole subject of a supply of wholesome animal food as one of 

 some importance in social science as well as in agriculture, and 

 hoped at sometime to have the honor of explaining his process 

 more at length, and showing the Club a specimen of superior fresh 

 mutton slauofhtered several months asro in Eng-land. 



The Club expressed their appreciation of the address of Professor 

 G. by voting thanks unanimously, and asking him to name the time 

 when they could have the pleasure of hearing him more or length. 

 Professor G. intimated his willingness to appear before the Club 

 on Tuesday next, at 2 o'clock. 



DRAINING. 



Mr. J. M. Stoker, Madison, Lake county, Ohio. — Experience 

 has with me, established a few general principles in regard to the 

 underdraining of land on clay subsoil. Water will not permeate 

 cla}^, hence it is no benefit, except to put tiles out of the way of 

 deep plowing, to dig deep into it The clay thrown out of the 

 drain must not be used to cover the tiles; if it is so used the water 

 will probably stand in pools on the top of the drain in less than a 

 year- I have seen it do so. The surface water being all the 

 water to carry off by drainage from clay subsoils, underdrains are 

 better than open ditches, the latter being in this latitude always 

 rendered inefficient by the action of frost, causing the sides to cave in, 

 besides being obstructions to agricultural implements passing over 

 the soil. Land on clay subsoil is much benefited by thorough drain- 

 age; surface water gravitates to the clay where it remains stagnant, 

 if the stratum is horizontal; if sloping, it obej^s the same inevitable 

 law until it finds a natural outlet, drain or open ditch. Wherever 

 stagnant, the temperature of the soil is reduced, which injures the 

 crop. The benefits of the underdraining are found in an increase 

 of the average temperature of the soil, which is supposed to 

 gi'eatly benefit the crop. It is not known that underdraining adds 

 any element but heat to the productiveness of the soil. 



HUNGARIAN WINE. 



Mr. Jacob Kohn exhibited some bottles of Hungarian wine, which 

 was highly approved by the Club 



