536 Teaxsactioxs of the American Ixs'nrv'iE. 



a close monopoly. The glory of heading oif tlie enemy would, it 

 seems to me, be enough for himself and his posterity. However, if 

 it really is a good thing and the money consideration will not be 

 foregone, I would gladly head a subscription with $200, so anxious 

 am I that the depredations of the pest be stopped. 



Wet Cellars. 



Mr. A. C. Shumancy, of Ilallock, 111., gives the following account 

 of his grievances : My cellar is on a level ground and difficult to drain, 

 I have a cement and gravel wall and bottom which are quite hard, 

 the latter ten inches thick, and yet the water comes in through the 

 bottom. It seems the pressure is so great that it forces the water 

 through the pores. Now what can be done ? I cannot drain. Will 

 coal-tar, applied cold or hot, fasten so firmly to the bottom as to keep 

 out water, or is there something better ? If you can give us a little 

 knowledge on this you will confer a favor on several men in the same 

 condition. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller. — A coat of water lime might have the desired 

 effect. However, it is more than likely that the trouble is lack of 

 proper ventilation. Tlie water condenses and drips down. I have a 

 cellar cut out of solid rock, and unless aired every few days it gathers 

 dampness in the same way as our correspondent describes. We 

 might, if we choose, get a lesson from this of the benefit of mulcliing. 

 The deep cool earth is a great condenser of the moisture in the air, 

 and if you allow the atmospliere to penetrate to tlie depth of a foot or 

 more, it will supply moisture on the same principle that cool cellars 

 are very apt to be damp cellars. 



Mr. F. D. Curtis. — My cellar was damp, and to remedy the evil I 

 took down the wall and laid it in mortar very thoroughly. Still the 

 dampness continued. Tliis summer I coated it all over with cement, 

 but it is still damp. I am persuaded that the real cause is explained 

 by Mr. Fuller. 



TuE Early Mohaavk Potato. 



Mr. Eeuben E. Moss, Elmira, N. Y. — Will the Chib have the 

 goodness to inform me of the origin of the potato sold as Early 

 Mohawk, in New York ? I should like to know if they are identical 

 with those raised about here ; thinking the seed might have been 

 carried from Elmira to your section ; and you will much oblige an 

 old and a constant reader of the proceedings of the Club. 



Mr. S, B. Conover, of Washington Market. — This potato origi- 



