326 TBANSACTIONS OF THE 



Prof. Mapes said that even at Dover, near Lake Champlainy 

 where there is an entire absence of the fluorides, his remarlis and 

 the same results apply. The calcined bones of these animals an- 

 swer best. 



Dr. Waterbury contended that the whole was a question of 

 solubility. Organic matters were undoubtedly more soluble than 

 mineral guano. Ammonia was worth more in the market than 

 any other ingredient in manure, and that being so, that guano 

 was assuredly of the highest mercantile or marketable value that 

 contained most ammonia. Yet if the richest guano were laid on 

 land that did not need it, it would be so much material thrown 

 away. A young physician prescribed successfully for his first 

 patient, a shoemaker. His next patient was a tailor. He tried 

 the same remedy, but the patient died, and the physician errone- 

 ously made this entry in his note book : " Mem. What will cure 

 a shoemaker will kill a tailor." 



Prof. Mapes said it was right to determine the quality of soils 

 before applying perhaps an excess of what they contained. Eut 

 then, that excess might exist in a shape such as the plant could 

 not take up. In that way it was that lime and soluble phosphates 

 would be found useful on limestone and phosphatic soils. 



JAPAN SQUASH. 



Hon. R. S. Livingston, presented one, about 16 inches long and 

 7A inches thick, raised by him this season on his farm, on Pludsou 

 river, from seed given to him by the Farmers' Club, in May, 1856. 

 Tiie seed was given to the Club by Commodore Perry, of the late 

 Japan expedition. 



The learned judge treated the seeds with his usual skill, plant- 

 ing in one of his hot beds and transplanting to open air in June- 

 The melon in question, is in shape like an oblong water melon, 

 skin smooth, color pale green, very much like that of the ripe 

 gourd. Its specific gravity is the greatest known in the order of 

 the Cucurbitacese (melons.) It is that of water, (1,000 ounces 

 per cubic foot.) The Judge thinks that it will serve as a sort of 

 substitute for the Melongena, (Egg plant,) and probably be use- 

 ful, in some measure as a food for stock. 



