AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 363 



3. Permeriting manure in contact with inert matter, has the 

 power of neutralising vicious properties, (as the tannic acid of 

 peat, and the peroxyde of iron,) and of dissolving and rendering 

 soluble properties tliat were otherwise locked up. 



4. The waste of manure is eifected in oidy two ways; by the 

 escape of its gaseous elements into the atmosphere when heating, 

 and by the dissolving of its soluble salts in water that tlows away. 

 Any method that prevents tliese is valuable. 



5. The creative or effervescing etfect of unhurt maiuires, is 

 more valuable than the original matter, and is capable of multi- 

 plying its value many times. 



6. The value of any manure is in the ratio of its division 

 through the soil. And the golden rule of farming is, small quan- 

 tities of manure well divided and intermingled with the soil, will 

 produce better crops than large quantities not well divided, 



Mr. Meigs reminded the Club, that since New- York was first 

 visited, two hundred and fifty years ago, by Hendrick Hudson, 

 two winters have been distinguished for such extraordinary mild- 

 ness, that there was no ice in the Hudson river the whole winter. 

 Albany, then Fort Orange, was threatened with destruction by 

 the Six nations of Indians, in 1698. Our Governor being informed 

 that the Indians had determined to destroy it about the middle 

 of February, when the river was always covered by ice several 

 feet thick, nevertheless prepared a small army to go there; and, 

 about the eleventh of February, sailed in sloops to Fort Orange, 

 and it was saved. The Six nations believed that this wonderful 

 mildness was given by the Almighty to save the white man, and 

 abandoned their deadly project. Once more, in 1756, Albany 

 was a second time threatened with destruction by the Six nations 

 of Indians. And some three hundred soldiers sailed from the 

 city of New- York to Albany, on the twelfth and tliirteenth of 

 February. No ice in the river then, nor all winter. The Six 

 nations recognized another miracle. Since that, no such mild 

 weather has occurred. Eut as the general average of tempera- 

 ture has fur centuries not varied so nluch in any country as to 

 destroy its vegetation; and as our giant tree of California, some of 

 South America, of Tenerilie, of Australia, and of Africa have 



