492 Transactions of the American Institute. 



bread, and some of 1113^ family complained of a peculiar uneasines3 

 at the pit of the stomach for some hours, but others who ate it had 

 no such sensations, and no ill consequences followed. I then tried it 

 in biscuit, in pound and plum cake, and in breakfast cakes, using 

 milk in making the dough. It works to perfection, and I am charmed 

 with it. Especially in corn bread of all sorts, I prefer it to any other 

 mode of securing a light sponge. The richer the article I make the 

 better Horsford powders work upon it. Something in the oil seems 

 wholly to neutralize the sharp taste which was noticed in bread. It 

 substitutes certainty for guess-work in my pantry, and is as much 

 superior to the former way by soda and cream tartar as the best 

 kerosene is better than the old tallow dip candle. 



J. A. WHITNEY, 

 J. 13. LYMAN, 



Committee. 



The Chairman. — This estimate agrees with that of Prof. Liebig 

 and other eminent chemists who have given the subject attention. 



Herds-Grass and Timothy. 



Mrs. M. A. Leakin, Harmony, Wisconsin, would know the differ- 

 ence between these two varieties of grass. 



Mr. J. B. Lyman. — Without going into nice botanical language, 

 the head of timothy is round like the head of grain or a cat-tail from 

 the swamp, about four inches long. It flowers in this climate aboat 

 the Ist of July, and then it should be cut. It grows well on uplands, 

 and the crop responds exactly to the quantity of good, yard manure 

 spread upon the ground. It is the strongest and heartiest grass we 

 have, but not the juiciest. It should be fed to horses and working 

 oxen. Herds-grass has a bushy top like the tail of a fox, and is 

 similar in color. The stalk is slender, shiny and wiry. Its favorite 

 place is a black, peaty meadow, and it will stand more mud and keep 

 lip a stiifer light with weeds and rank grass than any other. But it 

 has not the sweetness or strength of timothy, and should be fed 

 alternately, or mixed with richer grasses. Old farmers think tM-enty 

 pounds of timothy will do a creature as much good as twenty-live or 

 thirty of herds. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — I am aware that Webster gives the general 

 name herds-grass to timothy, red-top and fox-tail ; but the distinction 

 as given by Mr. Lyman is correct. He did not say that herds-grjvss 



