AMERICAN INSTITUTE. ^43 



Subjects continued, viz: "Proper treatment of milcli cows," 

 " Winter treatment of barn yard manure." 



The Club adjourned. H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



December 15, 1857. 



Asher L. Smith, of Lebanon, Connecticut, in the chair. The 

 Secretary being unavoidably absent, Thomas W. Field, of 

 Brooklyn, was appointed Secretary pro tern. 



Thirty to forty members present. 



The Secretary read the following papers, translations, &c., pre- 

 pared by Secretary Meigs, viz : 



[Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, No. 39, Part 1, vol . 18.] 



We are pleased to acknowledge this volume, presented by the 

 Royal Society to the American Institute, by favor of the American 

 Minister, His Excellency, Mr. Dallas, Oct. 1857. We extract the 

 following : 



POTATO, 



There appears to be a certain stage at which the potato is more 

 liable to disease than at any other period of its growth. The 

 month of August is the most critical time, (in England,) for our 

 winter potatoes. But by sprouting the tuber before setting, you 

 obtain nearly a month's advantage, so that when the disease comes, 

 the plant is in a stronger state than it would otherwise be. We 

 know for a fact that the same kind of potato set at the same time 

 as the sprouted ones were much diseased, while the sprouted ones 

 were sound, perfectly so. The Fluke potato has proved itself to 

 be the soundest. It is very productive, grows to a large size. 

 In many soils it retains a sweet yam like flavor, until Easter, 

 when the sweetness disappears, and it becomes a first rate vege- 

 table until new ones come in. 



To prepare sprouts on a considerable scale, prepare an acre or 

 two for them, a dry sandy loom. If a grain (corn) stubble, cast 

 on your manures in February — short w^ell decomposed horse and 

 cow manures, thirty tons per acre ! Long manures Avill not an- 

 swer. Plow down the manure when the land is dry. Spread the 

 manure just before you plow, to prevent waste of the ammonia, 



