AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 223 



horses can thus help themselves. A great saving of labor. The 

 well will be at the lowest part of fields, therefore not very deep. 



Mr. Ayres also has on the table a model farm gate, much ad- 

 mired. The wheels of a vehicle pass over slight elevated parts, 

 which spread the double gate wide open, and on passing out the 

 wheels touch like elevated parts and close to immediately. 



The American Guano Company requested the appointment of 

 a special committee to examine the new guano from the United 

 -Islands of the Pacific ocean, now arrived at Benson's office, corner 

 of Old slip and South street. Mr. Benson believes that the islands 

 contain ten millions of tons of guano. The islands are in posses- 

 sion of them.- The company will sell the guano for much less 

 than the prices of other guano — that is for forty dollars a ton. 



The President appointed the following committee, viz : 

 Professor Nash of Vermont, Mr. Pardee and Dr. Waterbury of 

 New- York. 



WYANDOT CORN. 



The Hon. Harris Scoville, presented two ears of this new and 

 singular corn, grown by Mr. N. P. Howell of Sag Harbor, Long 

 Island, in 1856. From three seeds, each of which produced sev- 

 eral stalks, he obtained eighteen ears, the best of them about a 

 foot long, eight rowed, grain very white; is later in ripening than 

 our white flint corn ; one grain in each hill, and the hills four 

 feet apart. 



The subject of ventilation introduced the question of pure air. 



Prof Hildreth considered that when, (as does often happen,) 

 finely decomposed animal matter floating in air, is inspired, the 

 system is very liable to suffer from the effects of putrefactive con- 

 dition. The hotel miasm of Washington, has affected, as is said, 

 some 700 persons, of whom twenty-five are dead. Experiments 

 ought to be fully tried there, and yet there is risk of life to those 

 who shall experiment there. 



Solon Robinson — So far as vitiated air can give disease, our city 

 has as many killed as most places from like causes. Some of our 

 places are almost as bad as the black hole of Calcutta. 



