PROCEEDnyCrS OF THE FARMERS'' ClUB. 559 



make albumen bo rapidly, except out of albuminous food, such as 

 wheat, meat, and small animals. It is not true that tliere is a certain 

 number of eggs, and that, this number exhausted, no more can be 

 expected ; but it is true that the secretions lessen as old age comes 

 on, and latterly the hen fails to have sufficient force to carry forward 

 the process. The practical bearing of this is, that we must see that 

 the fovyd is always well kept. The way to have good laying pullets 

 is to quicken the circulation and strength-en the system by liberal 

 nutriment. In conclusion, the speaker referred to the fact that the 

 yolk is food for the young for the first three or four days ; that care- 

 ful housev\-ives make a mistake by attempting to feed them before 

 the expiration of this time. Let the mother bird have charge, and 

 success will be certain, for she knows better than any man can what 

 the chick requires. 



Soils and Grasses from the Far "West. 

 Mr. ]Sr. C. Meeker, who has recently returned from an extended 

 tour through the far west, presented specimens, and spoke as follows : 

 I have often thought that if travelers would accuratel_y describe the 

 common life of the people of distant lands, their accounts w^ould be 

 of great interest. If, in addition, they should bring samples of the 

 soil, of the ground on which the people tread, tliey would give us 

 something still more interesting ; and I have wished to see dust taken 

 from the vicinity of Rome, Athens and Jerusalem. We suppose, of 

 course, that there is mud in England, France, Italy, Greece, and the 

 Holy Land, and that the common objects of nature are the same as 

 here ; the sun and the stars shining ; but these countries are so 

 remote, and they are associated with historical objects so much more 

 important than in our own land, that we easily imagine a condition 

 of things in these far countries brighter and better tlian anything with 

 which we are familiar. In a recent trip across the plains to the Rocky 

 mountains, I was mindful of what I had wished other travelers had 

 done, and accordingly I made a collection of grasses, soils, and some 

 other common objects, which I present for your inspection. The dis- 

 tance traveled was about 2,500 miles, that is as fiir as through Eng- 

 land, France, Italy and Germany, and inasmuch as it was upon our 

 own soil, it has been a pleasure to make the small collection, and, in 

 addition, to note the magnificence of scenery, to be described in 

 another connection, for I am thoroughly convinced that we have in 

 our own land full as much that is worthy the attention of tourists 



