No. 129] 525 



Hon. Ogden Edwards. — My father, Pierpont Edwards, loved 

 his garden, and he had a large one. He was in the habit of raising 

 young plants, especially lettuce, in the fall, covering them for 

 winter with cedar bushes. This protected them from freezing 

 and thawing. It is not freezing that injures them, but the repeti- 

 tion of the process. I believe that peas bear frost very well, and 

 by this treatment can be made to come much earlier to market. 



Prof. Mapes. — I passed some time on the farm of the well-known 

 William Cobbett, on Long Island. He tried experiments of that 

 kind, but did not succeed in getting earlier results, nor so full 

 crops, or so good ones. 



Judge Edwards. — Some farmers have believed thaf grain which 

 has passed through the stomach of horses, was fertilized and thus 

 benefited. 



Prof. Mapes — Stimulating manures used in the drill will an- 

 swer quite as well. The regular subject of the day should be 

 continued. I was much pleased lately with a new substitute for 

 figs. Our friend Mr. Downing, of Newburgh, has practiced a 

 preparation of peaches with paring, white sugar, and drying in 

 an oven, which I think was like the best figs, but more delicious. 

 Stoned cherries treated the same way. Canfield, of Newark, 

 New- Jersey, has budded ten thousand peach trees, without losing 

 one. Soaked bass fibre is used only to tie it. No salve. 



Mr. Van Wyck. — The plum is said to be a native of Asia. This 

 is of little consequence to us, provided it will grow well in our 

 country, which it does, in almost any part of it, especially on get- 

 ting acclimated. This has been shown by many years' experi- 

 ence. It grows well north and south of us ; better, it is thought, 

 north than south of our latitude. It grows well in most of the 

 eastern states, in our own state, both the north and western part 

 of it, and as far north as Canada, and, we believe, in most of our 

 western states. Latterly, since the plum tree has suffered so 

 much from insects, it grows better north of the Highlands than 

 south of them. The insects, though, especially the curculio, 

 supposed to be its most destructive enemy, are travelling north, 

 and making ravages upon it as great perhaps as anywhere. Pav- 

 ing the ground of the plum yard or place where they grow, with 



