Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 519 



October 26, 1869. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely, Esq., in the chair. 

 Dry Cellars. 

 Mr. S. E. Todd, of Brooklyn, communicated the following direc- 

 tions : He said lie recently had occasion to examine several cellars, 

 the bottoms of which are below the surface of the East river, and 

 which aforetime were always so wet, at high tides, as to be unfit for 

 even a store room of any kind. But they were rendered satisfac- 

 torily dry for eating saloons simply by covering the sides and bottom 

 with a heavy coat of the best liydraulic cement, and after it had 

 dried applying an overcoating of plastic slate material. The plastic 

 slate should be spread on, while warm, with a plastering trowel, just 

 as a wall is made in a dwelling-house. Any cellar that cannot be 

 drained may be rendered perfectly dry by cementing the sides and the 

 bottom, and covering the cement with the plastic, made of coal tar 

 and slate flour, both of which can be obtained at a trifling expense. 

 If the correct proportion of tar and slate flour be mingled together, 

 the material will be as impervious to water as one unbroken piece of 

 Vermont slate, sufiiciently large to extend over the entire cellar bot- 

 tom. If the work be properly done, the bottom and sides of the cel- 

 lar will be as water tight as a jug. 



Seedling Potatoes. 



Mrs. L. B. Carter, Southfield, Mich., wrote that she lias over a 

 bushel of potatoes raised this year from this seed, and this slie would 

 like to know : Whether to sort them or plant them together another 

 season. Also, will potatoes planted side by side mix ? 



Mr. J. W. Gregory. — In answer to enquiry number one, I would 

 say our fair correspondent had better plant the best and reserve the 

 others, as the latter may prove to be very poor. 



Mr. D. B. Bruen. — And in reply to question number two I may 

 say yes. I could if time served, give you an interesting experience 

 relating to certain potatoes which came over from Dublin, and 

 which established the fact that varieties will amalgamate. 



Corned Beef. 

 Mr. E. Folsom, Bloomington, 111., is sure that whoever tries 

 the following plan will never want any other: For 100 pounds 

 beef, three buckets of water, or enough to cover the meat ; four 



