268 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



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two years ago some of these beans as a valuable legacy. Mr. Gore 

 has taken pains to grow them and gives for the benefit of his coun- 

 try, these beans for distribution. 



The nuisance of the bean to kitchen maids is notorious. Lend 



me your pen knife to cut these string beans ! I wish the d 1 



had them ! And so she cuts at least half the bean away, and yet, 

 tired of the job she leaves some strings to get in your teeth, and 

 not half as many beans as are wanted. If Jacob Freeman's string- 

 less bean will save all this trouble, his memory ought to be well 

 preserved. 



Professor James J. Mapes presented a stalk of sorgho sucre, 

 grown by him on his scientific farm near Newark, New Jersey. 

 This specimen has just put forth its hampe of young seeds. The 

 entire plant is nine feet and a half high. Sugar is believed to be 

 profitably obtained from it — but fodder of superior quality, of it, 

 is certain. 



Henry Cotheal, Esq., of New- York city, presented seeds of the 

 millet, called dourah of Africa, and also one never seen here be- 

 fore — the fundi of Africa. This plant grows on light sandy 

 lands and in rocky places; resembles rice in its stalk and leaf, 

 yields an abundance of small heart shaped seeds, which, somewhat 

 like rice readily agglutinate, are very wholesome, and the whole 

 plant, grown here, is four to five feet high, stalk jointed like the 

 millets, and would make a famous crop for hay, or more particu- 

 larly for soiling purposes. 



In connection with what farmers should do, Mr. Eergen of Long 

 Island made some pertinent remarks upon the subject of lightning 

 rods. He related a noted case of preservation of a barn provided 

 with a conductor. 



An interesting discussion followed upon the subject of weeds 

 and how to exterminate them. Mr. Field thought that weeds 

 could be easily exterminated and kept out of the soil, and said he 

 had lately been all over Professor Mapes's farm, which is abso- 

 lutely free of weeds. 



Mr. Bergen wished Long Island farmers knew the secret of 

 keeping clear of weeds, as they were the greatest pest in his neigh- 

 borhood. 



