No. 129.] 409 



mince pie Messrs. George S. Riggs, of Baltimore, and John W. 

 Green, M. D., of New- York, attended Mr. Eorden and £aw the 

 whole process of cooking the sonp. When the soup ^vas tasted 

 by all the members — who added to it salt and black pepper only, 

 there being no vegetable whatever in it, it was pronounced to be 

 very relishing, without one dissenting voice. Messrs. Riggs and 

 Green stated that the whole time occupied in preparing it for the 

 table was twenty minutes by their watches. Mr. Borden pre- 

 sented mince pies in which there was no meat whatever added to 

 the fruit, nothing but meat biscuit. On being questioned as to 

 the cost of this article, he replied fifty cents per pound, but at 

 wholesale forty. That one third of a pound, worth say seventeen 

 cents, was enough for one man for one day. That it is not suit- 

 able as an every day food without solids, &:c., nor was any article 

 of food suitable without change. He thinks that one ounce of it 

 made into soup and eaten every day in addition to other articles 

 is very good, and saves a valuable proportion of other food. 

 That its lightness, compared with other food, its perfect keeping 

 in any climate, (if kept dry.) render it a capital reserve in all 

 cases where food may give out, either on land or ocean. Mr. 

 Borden's invention was prompted by humanity on learning the. 

 terrible loss of life by starvation among the emigrants by land to 

 California. 



Mr. Riggs proposed for the next Club, the subject of" the best 

 way of preserving fruit for winter." Adopted. 



The Club then adjourned. 



American Institute, 

 Farmers' Club, Dec. 16, 1851. 



Hon. Robert Swift Livingston in the Chair • Henry Meigs, Sec- 

 retary. 



The Chairman requested Mr. Pell, of Pelham, to open the dis- 

 cussion of the day : "The best method for keeping fruit in winter.'' 



Mr. Pell said he would say something if no other member of 

 the Club would. No one offei ing to speak Mr. Pell proceeded ; 



