No. 199.J 476 



Feb. I9th, 1850. 

 Robert L. Livingston, Esq. in the Chair. ■ Henb.y Meigs, Secy. 



Mr. Meigs read the following translation made by him from the 

 recent works received from Europe, some by the hands of Mr. Vat- 

 temare, viz : 



From La Normandie Agricole, 1848. 

 Coal employed as an ame7idm€nt or stimidant to soil. — We knovr 

 that carbon plays a very strong part in the composition of vegeta- 

 bles. We know also that the earth furnishes that element only in 

 feeble portions, excessively feeble, to plants, which are obliged to 

 derive the principal portion of the necessary carbon from the air. 



Some time ago it was a subject of inquiry, whether we could not 

 furnish plants with the carbon necessary to facilitate their vegetation. 

 In consequence of some experiments which the editors of the Ency- 

 copledia believed to be their duty to recommend, they advised the 

 use of coal, which had been long abandoned. These experiments 

 have lately been renewed and we are assured, that the use of sul- 

 phurous coal, above all, will be favorable to agriculture. 



We recommend therefor the trial of the dust of coal, the large 

 amount of which, if useful, will aid much our farmers crops. 



From La Normandie Agricole. 

 Great Britain cultivates (as a medium amount) 3,400,000 awes 

 of potatoes, which amount in Aveight to about 50,600,000 tons, food 

 equivalent to about 35,700,000 quarters (8 bushels each) nearly 286 

 millions of bushels. 



The Secretary read the following : 



We feel highly pleased with the daily growth of knowledge in the 

 great profession of agriculture, and the respect which it begins to re- 

 ceive from the greatest men of the dav. 



We like the following from Lord Brougham, spoken recently by 

 him at the Cumberland and Westmoreland Anniversary Agricultural 

 entertainment at Penrith : 



