AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 3 17 



all seedling trees, and cut away the tap-root, and in two years I 

 would transplant again, and again trim oif tap-roots. The third 

 planting would fit the tree for fruit bearing. If the leaves are 

 fully ripened, the tree may be taken up with the leaves on, while 

 green. 



Mr. Wellington — Mr. Joseph Pease has a new bean which I 

 wish to call attention to. They are the most remarkable snap 

 beans I have ever seen; so rich and tender. 



Mr. Pease stated that the seed came from Germany. The pods, 

 when advanced to a yellow color, are stringless, and the most 

 tender and mucilaginous I have ever eaten. Some of the pods 

 of these beans were exhibited, and although far advanced toward 

 maturity, in fact, turning yellow and showing the beans half 

 grown, the pods broke as short and easy as common snap beans 

 in the first days of their growth. Mr. Pease will save some seed 

 for distribution another season. 



POTATO CULTIVATION IN FRANCE. 



One cultivator prepares the ground just as he would for peas, 

 and gouges out eyes and sets them in little drills, and presses the 

 ♦^arth upon these potato seeds with his hands, and afterward takes 

 care to keep the plants free of weeds, and gives very little other 

 cultivation than what is done with his hands, and gets excellent 

 crops. 



Dr. Ramsey exhibited a draft of a new steam spading machine. 

 He said the way lie has overcome the want of traction, that has 

 heretofore been the greatest difficulty in machines for plowing, 

 is by putting the spades at the stern, throwing back the dirt, 

 instead of digging forward. This has a tendency to propel the 

 machine, instead of retarding it or causing the traction wheels to 

 slip on the ground. This machine is calculated to spade a track 

 six feet wide, one foot deep, with an engine of sixteen horse 

 power. 



An animated discussion here ensued upon the possibility of 

 ever advantageously using steam for plowing or digging in general 

 farm purposes. 



