QaQ TjiAASACTioys of tjik American Institute, 



that would ruin upland for years, would only increase the fertility of 

 such land. Wm. G. Woodnutt reported to the Club that he plowed 

 up one-third of an acre, and spread on it 900 bushels of slaked lime, 

 or 2,700 bushels to the acre, with a view of making a compost for 

 other land ; and, as he had not time to remove it in the spring, was 

 advised to plant it with corn. lie did so, with the eight-rowed flint, 

 and said he had never seen such large and dark green corn of the kind 

 grow anywhere else as grew on that piece of limed meadow mud : a« 

 large as the large varieties grow. 



The Impokt Duty on Blooded Stock. 



Two weeks ago a letter was received from a Pennsylvania corres- 

 pondent, praying the Club to take such action as it Avas hoped would 

 have influence in inducing the government to remove the heavy 

 tariflT on imported stock. The subject was referred to Mr. Frank 

 D. Curtis, Vice-President of the State Agricultural Society, who 

 submitted the following report : 



I find upon examination that "' animals," meaning farm animals, 

 were formerly imported into the United States free of duty. Under 

 the necessity for a large revenue to meet the increased expenditures 

 of the government, a duty of twenty per cent was required on all 

 imported stock, and no discount or drawback for societies or indi- 

 viduals. I suppose the Department of Agriculture at Washington 

 might import a small amount of stock and have the duty remitted ; 

 at least such has been the case with the customs duties thus far of 

 that department by the accommodating Secretary of the Treasury. 

 The value of the imports for the past few years are as follows : Year 

 ending June 30, 1866, $1,670,837 (most of the importations for this 

 year were free) ; 1867, $1,960,472 ; 1868, $2,352,249. The amount 

 of duties paid on the importations of 1867-68 was $862,544. The 

 Agricultural Department at AVashington have been trying to do away 

 with this tariff. Early in 1868 the commissioner sent a communication 

 to the congressional committee on agriculture favoring the policy of 

 admitting thorough-bred animals for the improvement of farm stock 

 duty free. The commissioner nor the committee have yet succeeded 

 in obtaining this abatement. At a later period the Hon. Calvin T. 

 llulbnrd, as the representative in Congress of a portion of the 

 great dairy district of New York, together with Gen. Capron, 

 endeavored to obtain the repeal of, or at least a reduction of, the 

 twenty per cent duties on dairy cows. The argument in favor of 



