442 [Assembly 



too apt to overlook this, and trust to the constant ell'ort of animals 

 * d vegetables to do their best ; but perpetual experience returns upon 

 the fact, that as is the infancy — strong or vreak — so is the maturity. 



an 

 us 



President Taixmadge presented to the club seeds of water melon 

 grown here from seeds obtained from melons grown at Smyrna, and he 

 remarked that these melons were large, round, very solid, red cores, 

 and exceedingly fine. They were distributed among the members. 

 The President said that he was delighted to have the subject of seeds 

 under discussion here, and wished that the institute would collect and 

 publish a carefully condensed set of instructions on the whole subject, 

 .for practical use. We find that plans are, as a general rule, confined 

 to certain positions, as relates not only to climate, but to valley and 

 mountain — to zones, and to all those influential causes connected with 

 their nature. Botanists are performing the great work of investiga- 

 tion on their part. We are already acquainted with many of the di- 

 versities in vegetable growth on our globe. We are told that not 

 only do these diversities exist in the various parts of our northern he- 

 misphere, but also that very marked differences are found between 

 the plants of our hemisphere and those of the southern, and that the 

 small fruits flourish in this — they do not in the southern • and it is 

 said by some observers, that the diseases of our hemisphere very rare- 

 ly prevail in the other ; tlrat in tropical regions trees incline to deep 

 penetration of the soil by means of large roots, in order to be able to 

 sustain the severe heats and droughts, and that a general difference of 

 habit in plants is found between the two hemispheres. Our own po- 

 sition is peculiarly happy, receiving, as it does, the fruits and products 

 of every country. Salmon from the cool waters of the n©rth meet 

 in our markets the green peas of the Southern states, and together, 

 grace our festive board early in the season, and ours follow in suc- 

 cession. We are bound to learn and to teach wisdom on the subject 

 of these blessings of the vegetable kingdom. The depth at which 

 seed should be placed is very important, and it is also necessary to be 

 careful in the transplanting of trees, so that they be not too deeply in 

 the earth, nor yet too shallow. Either error ruins the tree or the vine 

 — the effects of too deep or too shallow planting are loss of time and 

 money. The soil, too, must be carefully considered. Avoid a cold, 

 ,wet clay and a porous sandy soil ; we must make the soil what it 



