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 366 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



no contradiction. One may say it snowed red, another says white 

 or blue — no contradiction. 



Mr. Meigs — Such is the rule of the club from its foundation, and 

 the Professor was one of the board which established the rules. 



Adrian Bergen called for the subject of fence posts: Carried. 



Mr. Eergen — I find that posts seasoned for one or two years 

 last the longer for it by half. 



Mr. Meigs mentioned his trial of a locust timber which supported 

 the pulpit in St. John's church here, the lower ends of the post 

 having stood some twenty odd years in the ground below the 

 floor. On trying it with my penknife, I found the wood under 

 ground perfectly sound. I remember the locust posts of the gate 

 of the late Prof. Jared Mansfield's house in New Haven, which 

 had been often boarded up. They were full of rusty old nails, 

 all the original sap wood gone, and the heart, with numerous 

 knots, sound, after having served as gate posts between fifty and 

 seventy-five years. 



Mr. Bergen — They will last sometimes fifty years. Posts rot at 

 the surface. It is useful to char the bottom of the posts. 



Dr. Smith spoke of the valuable character of this discussion. 

 Fencing required the benefit of deep counsel, it was so costly. A 

 small saving would contribute a great sum in a nation. 



Mr. Pardee — The red cedar posts, the heart of it, lasts well 

 more than thirty years. As to the locust, in the western parts of 

 New- York, the trees have been destroyed for years by the borer, 

 so as to cause our farmers to despair in raising them. Posts upside 

 down are most lasting. 



Mr. Meigs — Locust grows readily. I have raised them from the 

 seed. My old friend, James Thomson, when retired from busi- 

 ness rich, having nothing to engage his activity, followed my 

 advice and planted locusts on a north river farm of his, 40,000 

 trees. After some few years he seemed unoccupied, and I desired 

 him to plant 50,000 more. 



Mr. Eckford, (whom I call the Hon. Henry Eckford,) the emi- 

 nent ship-builder, often conversed with me on that topic, not only 

 as to the feasibility of building ships which would sail fifteen 

 miles an hour, but of the high importance to the future marine of 



