470* [Assembly 



sion issued from the Court of Chancery ; and a forest became a 

 matter of record. Its laws and offices were established. Forests 

 were granted to subjects. In 1224 Henry III. of England granted 

 the carta de foresta (forest chart.) The earliest forest laws were 

 by Canute. 



General Chandler — For the last twenty five years maple sugar 

 in various degrees of refinement has been exhibited at our fairs, 

 some of it very highly refined. In its most unrefined state it has 

 a flavor which tastes of the tree, is peculiarly agreeable ; but in 

 proportion as it is refined, it more and more resembles that of the 

 sugar cane. 



Chairman — To retard the souring of fresh sap they use a very 

 small quantity of sulphate of lime. The acidity begins almost 

 immediately after the sap is drawn from the tree. 



William Lawton of New Rochelle, presented a stalk with its 

 branches, of a remarkable blackberry. He understands and be- 

 lieves that the original bush was discovered by some boys, grow- 

 ing near a rock in New Rochelle, about five years ago; it was 

 transplanted to his garden by a neighbor from whom I obtained 

 a dozen plants in 1848 ; they gave fruit that season. The crop 

 is now very abundant. Some stalks grow fifteen to twenty feet 

 high. The berries are round, as large as Hovey's seedling straw- 

 berries, say three to four inches in circumference, and very deli- 

 cious ; seeds deeply seated and quite small compared with the 

 fruit. I counted eight hundred berries from one stalk. They 

 are readily propagated, but the roots must not be allowed to be- 

 come dry ; if they do get so, they are very apt to perish. I find 

 it best to transplant them in spring. They do not do so well if 

 moved in the fall. The berries are ripe about the last of July, 

 and last until the second week in September usually. They seem 

 to love a heavy damp soil and the shade of trees. I do not be- 

 lieve that cultivation will improve them. 



The Secretary has examined a beautiful flower, one of our 

 native vines, and prepared the following account of it, viz : 



