498 [ASSKMBLY 



ship Constitution, and n box of seeds from Egypt. The seed of the 

 black seed cotton, sesame, flax seed, beans from Upper Egypt, 

 Lentils. 



On motion, ordered, That the thanks of the club be presented to 

 Lieutenant Rowan, for this valuable present. 



A paper signed T. B., chemist was read, viz. 



JVew-Yorkj March 6th, 1860. 

 To the Farmers Club. 

 Perceiving in one of the daily papers the proceedings of the last 

 meeting, relating to agriculture ; permit me to give my theory and 

 experience in grape culture. I manure with a compost of animal 

 charcoal, obtained in any quantity from the factories, of prussiate of 

 potash, who are glad to get rid of it. I place this a few inches under 

 ground near the vine roots, and let it remain for two weeks, if the 

 weathea is fine. If the atmosphere has been to dry, I place a handful 

 of chloride of calcium, (muriate of lime,) on the surface of the ground 

 around each root, which by absorbing moisture supphesthe vine with 

 water and nutrition. Chloride of calcium exposed to air, deliquesces 

 (melts,) readily, and is soluble in little water ; when mixed with fresh 

 fallen snow, it produces a cold of forty degrees below Zero. 



I coincide with Dr. Underbill in his theory of the growth of plants. 

 Where soil is too moist, a mixture of alum, clay, calcined bones, 

 plaster of Paris, and sulphate of ammonia, in equal parts, will be 

 found very useful. The theory of the above is, that the clay ab- 

 sorbs the surrounding moisture, and forms with the plaster, a crust 

 almost impervious to water, while the ammonia and bones nourish the 

 plant. 



Dr. Antisell. — The red color in madder is due to the presence of 

 lime in the soil, without which it fails. 



A report on the subject of agricultural employment for the nume- 

 rous immigrants arriving here, was presented, and on motion referred 

 back to the committee to be disposed of in some other way, than 



