No. 133.] 345 



Mr. Dickey, to whom it was referred to ascertain the commer- 

 cial state of the osier here — and- such information as to its growth 

 and mode of curing — reported that he was not yet ready, but 

 would report soon. 



The members were all of opinion that efforts to introduce and 

 naturalize all useful and beautiful plants, was one of the most 

 valuable and interesting objects, not only of institutes but of ev- 

 ery State government and of the United States government. 

 The Club adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



Farmers' Club, JVbvember llth, 1852. 



Sam'l GriflBng, Esq., of N. J. in the chair. Henry Meigs, Sec. 



Present, Gen. Tallmadge, Rev. Mr. Fitch, Mr. Shelton, Mr. 

 Dey, the three last named gentlemen recent«ly from California, 

 Judge Van Wyck, of New York, Mr. Dickey and others. 



Mr. Shelton presented a collection of 'seeds and plants, colored 

 drawings of flowers and plants — engravings, all executed under 

 his care by able artists in California. Being questioned by mem- 

 bers he replied, that Indian corn, of the southern kind, grows 

 there occasionally to the height of twenty -five to thirty feet, but 

 in suih cases yields little if any corn. That the short Canada 

 corn with its ears growing close to the ground — is planted in Cal- 

 iiornia with S(>me success — yielding there some fifty bushels of 

 shelled corn per acre. That the changable character of t'lie cli- 

 mate, the hot days and remarkably cool nights, do not appear to 

 suit our great staple, Indian corn. The Canada corn grows there 

 to four and six feet high, the grain is quite hard. The trees near 

 the sea, at San Francisco, assume peculiar forms in consequence 

 of the strong winds rushing inland from the Pacific ocean to cool 

 the rarefied hot air of the interior. The wind has caused the 

 branches of the trees to take the direction of the wind, to render 

 them stinted so that they grow up like chapparal. 



Mr. Dey observed that the rainy season commences with No- 

 vember and ends in June. I have passed through the California 



