Wo. 149.] 473 



A balloon filled at the mountain top, and brought into the valley, 

 will be found to have lessened its diameter. 



Prof. Mapes also proposed as a subject of our conversation at 

 our next meeting — " The proper mode of feeding cattle, and the 

 management of their manures in the stable and in the compost- 

 heap." He was induced to make this proposition from the well 

 known differences of results, in relation to their profit, between 

 the feeding of cooked and uncooked food, fermented or unfer- 

 mented grains, and in the use or disuse of the different root crops 

 for this purpose. He also stated that he knew from experiments, 

 that organic matter requiring to be decomposed by admixture 

 with the tluid excretia of animals, would require hut one-twelftli 

 of the amount, if received while containing the animal warmth, 

 instead of throwing the fluid excretia cold from a cistern on muck 

 or other matter to be decomposed. He also referred to the fact 

 that an animal incased in a varnished bag, tied about its neck, 

 leaving the head free to breath the pure atmosphere, would die 

 in a few hours. The gases given off at the surface of the body 

 should be got rid of, and in cold weather it is difficult to do this 

 by ventilation ; therefore such materials should underlie the 

 bedding of animals as are not pnly capable of absorbing the fluid 

 excretia and rendering them inodorous, but also of absorbing ail 

 those gases given off from the surfaces of animals, which are 

 hurtful to them, but are beneficial to plants. Animals fed in 

 the stable so arranged will fatten on a less amount of food. It is 

 net difficult for us to imagine that our own aliment, if eaten 

 while we were surrounded by an atmosphere of deleterious gases, 

 would not furnish the means of continued health. 



Judge Van Wyck. — I believe our American native cattle, with 

 care in crossing the best breeds we have, with and among each 

 other, with attention in rearing and feeding them, for milk and 

 fattening qualities, are equal to any in the world, and for work, 

 if properly managed, better. Why should they not be? They 

 originally came from England, where the best in the world are 

 now to be found. Our Puiitan forefathers when then came here 

 some two or three centuries ago, brought, among other things, 

 their neat cattle ; a portion of these, no doubt, consisted of some 



