382 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



were universally sought for when green to make catsup. They 

 were always sold at not less than one cent a piece. 



Dr. Peck remarked that in clearing up an acre of bear oak on 

 Long Island, twenty tons weight of their roots have been obtained, 

 which sold readily for $1.50 per wagon load — used by blacksmiths 

 for heating the tires of wheels. 



Solon Robinson — Our subject is how to grow forests from the 

 seeds or nuts. Some pour boiling ley over locust seeds, or hot 

 water — Osage orange seeds want it — black walnuts dried are hard 

 to grow — give them boiling water, hut not enough to cook ! 



Mr. Meigs stated his success in growing sugar maples. As the 

 winged seeds fell in autumn he gathered and planted them in 

 drills as he did peas. They came up about as quick as peas and 

 grew rapidly. 



Mr. Boon remarked on the success of some of his ancestors in 

 raising trees. 



Dr. Waterbury had found that when a hemlock forest is cut 

 down, it never grows up again, other trees of superior character 

 take its place — that there appears to be a progression from lower 

 to higher character when left to nature. Man does alter this at 

 pleasure. 



Mr. Meigs said that the earth is of so recent a formation, 

 that the plants and animals have had no opportunity yet to 

 be spread over it. All the means of distribution have been wholly 

 insufficient. Animals and plants confined since creation to certan 

 countries, have not yet been transferred, although thousands of 

 them are found to flourish more in foreign than in their native 

 places. Modern wisdom seeks to carry out this distribution. The 

 Emperor of France is exerting his power most beneficently in this 

 great operation — already giving us a substitute for the sugar of the 

 tropics — the rich sap of the Cliinese sugar cane, first had from the 

 Consul of France in China, Mons. DeMontigny. Our worthy fel- 

 low citizen, Mr. Cotheal, has given us to-day a package of seeds 

 of a precious grass, imported by him from Mozambique — he has 

 often before given us seeds from abroad — remembering in his 

 commerce to bring home valuable new plants from distant lands. 



Dr. Waterbury — To be covered with forest seems to be the nor- 

 mal condition of the soil of this part of our continent. The 

 primitive wilderness begins to return to its ancient domains as 

 soon as the efforts of man to prevent are remitted. Hence when 

 a mere thicket is desired, we have simply to make an enclosure 

 of the required space to keep cattle and sheep from destro3'ing 

 the young plants and the seed is soon attained. If meadow lands 



