No. 329.] 521 



An inhabitant of Courland announces to the Society the dis- 

 covery of a plant, proof against cold, found in the far north, 

 ■which multiplies in an extraordinary manner from both roots 

 and seeds, the tubers of the size of a man's fist, which yields 

 about one-half starch of the first kind ; a specimen of the starch 

 is laid before the Society. The Society thinks that it is the 

 Stachys palustris. The subject will be further examined. 



Mons. le Vicompte Debonnaire de Gif, presented a pod of 

 Aromatic Vanilla grown in the hot houses of the museum. Mons. 

 de Gif remarked that this Vanilla acquired a sweeter perfume 

 as it grew older, and he thought it superior to that imported. 



New-York, March 20, 1852. 

 To the American Institute of the city of JVew-York: 



In the volume of Transactions of the Society for 1850, is an ac- 

 count of the cultivation of Madder in this country, and also in 

 Europe. It is stated to have been successfully cultivated in this 

 country, but to what extent is not mentioned, and c^ hardly at 

 this time be accurately known. 



About 1843 Mr. Roman Watson, formerly a merchant of this 

 city and New Orleans, bought some land in Illinois, on tlie Mis- 

 sissippi river, near Quincy. He selected a farm which he named 

 Hat Grove ; it is in Monmouth county. He turned his attention 

 to the cultivation of madder, and had sold two crops of dried, 

 marketable madder, averagiiag 2000 lbs. to the acre, when he died, 

 in February, 1848, with quite favorable prospects in the madder 

 business. His farm was also a sheep farm, and for this purpose 

 it was purchased by his brother, Mr. George Watson, who suc- 

 ceeded him. He says the madder his brother raised was far su- 

 perior in quality to any brought to this country ; that it made 

 hrightet colors and took l^s quantity to dye the same weight 

 of cloth. 



Mr. Watson has communicated to me their mode of oBiIture, 

 which is as follojvs : 



" The ground is made mellow by deep plowing, early in the 

 spring. About the time we plant corn is the time to put out the 



