No. 199.] 497 



He has pines from Cayenne, both the thorny and without thorns. 

 The Prcvideur, the Mont Serrat, the Count of Paris, the Jamaica 

 Violet and the Enville, all of which are distinguished for the vigor of 

 their vegetation, and the size and beauty of their fruit, and the sweet 

 odour with which they perfume his conservatories. 



The following letter was read from Mr. Hector Gilzam, of Flat- 

 bush, in relation to the cultivation of Madder : 



Flathush, Long Island, March \^th, 1860. 

 To the American Institute at New-York. 

 In accordance with my duty, I send some madder seed of my rais- 

 ing, and also some of the unpulverised madder raised by me on Long 

 Island, and a description of the method of raising it in the United 

 States of North America, which can be done with great profit, close 

 to the Atlantic, and to the gulf of Mexico. 



Madder seed must be planted in New-York and New-Jersey, in the 

 month of April ; and in the States of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 

 North and South Carolina, in March; and in Georgia, Alabama, 

 Mississippi and Louisiana in February ; and in Florida in January. 

 Ridges must be made in the field, and the madder seed planted on the 

 tops of them. These ridges must be one foot a part ; each seed 

 planted one inch from another, and as the plant grows to a foot long, 

 we pull up as many as will leave the rest two inches a part ; they must 

 be kept clear of weeds. Save the seed as it ripens for planting next 

 year, and pull up the roots which are the mother plants. When these 

 are transplanted they throw out sprouts a foot long, then take three 

 fourths of them from the mother plant, set them out in flat beds, two 

 feet broad ; these sprouts will furnish the pure madder, this will come 

 to maturity in fifteen to sixteen months, and will yield from two thou- 

 sand to three thousand pounds per acre, of the best kind. All the 

 expense of the raising ; such as the land rent, interest, labour of all 

 sorts will not be more than four cents a pound. In some of the States 

 mentioned, but two to three and a half cents. 



The secretary read a letter written to him by Lieutenant James H. 

 Rowan of the U. S. Navy, dated Spezzia Bay, on board the U. S. 



[Assembly, No. 199. j 32 



