664 Transactions of the Americait Institute. 



transplanted or put in "thumb pots," and placed in beds made like a 

 hot-bed, only using less manure. 



The following list and quantity of seeds, if fresh and sound, in the 

 way described, will give an abundance of plants to supply a family 

 of twelve persons with plenty of vegetables: one-half ounce smooth 

 round red tomato ; one ounce New York improved e^g plant ; one 

 ounce squash pepper; one-half ounce half early Parish cauUflower; 

 one-half ounce early Wakefield cabbage; one-half ounce flat Dutch 

 cabbage; one-fourth ounce curled Silesia lettuce; six Kohl-rabi, 

 or turnip-rooted cabbage. 



There are few neighborhoods where enough plants cannot be sold 

 to more than pay the expense of making and caring for the bed. 



When the young plants are taken from the seed-bed, cucumber 

 and melons can be started under the glass and transplanted in the 

 open air in May. These plants will produce fruit three weeks before 

 seed planted in the open gi\)und. 



Adjourned. 



January 18, 1870, 



Nathan C. Ely, Esq., iu the chair ; Mr. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 

 Eggs — How to Get Them and How to Keep, 



Mrs. E. Trimble, Wheeling, Va., has tried various ways but prefers 

 the method by lard. She coats the fresh eggs with cold, sweet lard, 

 and puts them away in a stone jar, little end down. 



Prof. J. A. Whitney. — Some years ago an account was published 

 of a French method of keeping eggs, which was on the same principle. 

 The eggs were rubbed with fresh butter until the pores were all filled. 

 It was said that if a spot the size of a pin's point were left untouched 

 the egg would spoil. There are only two things essential to the keep- 

 ing of eggs ; these are to keep the air out and to maintain a moderate 

 and uniform temperature. Many different ways of coating eggs have 

 been proposed, including shellac varnish, which is not good for much, 

 and soluble glass, which is not -worth anything for the purpose. 



Mr. D. B. Bruen. — I have stated here, on more than one occasion, 

 that my wife keeps eggs eight months or more by packing in fine salt, 

 little end down. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — These processes are all well enough for 

 those ^'lio have no facilities for keeping poultry, and thus securing 



