AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 363 



Jolin W. Hamersley of 44 Bond street, recently from a tour 

 through Europe, had been strongly drawn to notice what he justly 

 ■deemed a valuable new vegetable — and sends the following de- 

 scription of it, with the tubers and the seeds, to President 

 Pell: 



New- York, December 15, 1856. 



Dear Sir — When recently at Berlin, a dish called Teltoro tur- 

 nips attracted my attention. They are similar in shape to small 

 carrots or radishes, and from two to three inches long. The flavor 

 is exquisite, just enough of the turnip to justify the name, and 

 something of the flavor and consistency of chestnuts. 



I sent the seed to several experimental agriculturists in Ame- 

 rica, and with the exception of Mr. Hookus, gardiner at Pough- 

 keepsie, I have heard of no success, but of many failures. The 

 seedsman at Berlin, told me that he had sent the seed to America 

 and every country in the civilized world, but had never heard of 

 their coming to perfection; assuring me that it was not worth 

 the trouble of further experiment. They grew (he said,) only at 

 Tilton, on a few square miles about twenty miles from Berlin, the 

 soil an iron sand, and the only manure, (if such it may be called) 

 that, of the occupation of numerous flocks of sheep. It is the 

 poorest land in Germany — produces nothing else. 



I take the liberty of sending you specimens, (which are now 

 withered,) to exhibit to the Agricultural Society, or Farmers' 

 Club. With us they have succeeded perfectly, without any arti- 

 ficial adaptation of soil, but avoiding of manure. I enclose a 

 package also of the seed. It would be a great addition to our 

 tables if we could naturalize this vegetable in America. 

 Believe me most truly yours, 



JOHN W. HAMERSLEY, 



44 Bond street 



To Robert L. Pell, Esq. 



J. Burrows Hyde of New- York, presented a sample of molasses 

 made from the Chinese sugar cane, (Sorghum Saccharatum,) by 

 Giles Haley, Esq., of Groton, Connecticut, with an account of its 

 culture, &c., (viz:) 



