388 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



one hundred and eight pounds avoirdupois. [The largest we 

 have seen was on the farm of Mr. Wyckoff*, some years ago, forty • 

 seven pounds. H. Meigs. J 



A gold medal was presented to Mr. Remont for his successful 

 culture of the dloscorea batatas, in several districts of France. 



Messrs. Vimont, Son & Vacher exliibited oil radish seed, which 

 were analyzed by Mons Payen, and have yielded a very important 

 oil. • - 



Mons. Mitjans of Montgeron, exhibited 49 varieties of pump- 

 kins, squashes, gourds, melons, &c.; sixteen varieties of tomatoes, 

 six of pimento, and eleven of potatoes. 



Numerous- large dioscorea batatas from the culture of Mons. 

 Remont of Versailles, and from Mons. Foucher of Saint Assise. 

 They are magnificent specimens of that excellent vegetable. The 

 highest premium of the society, the gold medal, was awarded for 

 them. 



Fourteen new grape vines, from seed, were exhibited. They 

 are deemed analogous to existing varieties. 



Eighteen new dahlias, from seed. 



[Meraoires De La Societe Imperiale Des Sciences Naturelle De Cherbours, Tome 



2d, 1854. 



From this valuable work laid on our table since the last meet- 

 ing of the club, we translate, viz: 



Mons. Jid. Chatin, on the Oidium, {Grape Disease.) 



Mons. Chatin, Professor in the school of Pharmacy, has studied 

 this malady and reached the conclusion that after examining 

 vineyards for hundreds of leagues in the south of France, Pied- 

 mont, Lombardy, Trieste; the nortli of France, ISavoy, Switzer- 

 land and Austria, I found when I was in any given latitude, 

 and ascended from vallies or level lands towards Alpine regions 

 the disease gradually diminishing until at length there was none 

 to be found, and that in France, in the Cevennes of Jura, Swit- 

 zerland, Piedmont, the passes of Mount Cenis, of Saint Bernard, 

 of the Simplon, Splugen, the Cols de Tende, and of the Eochetta. 

 In Austria,' at many spots in crossing the Julian Alps between 

 Trieste and Graetz, the disease did not exist. It is just to say 

 then, that the development of tlie grape disease is subordinate to 

 the altitude of the vineyard ; and as we descend towards vallies 

 the temperature rises; so that the limit of tiie disease is both alti- 

 tude and temperature. Soil has no effect. 



Experiments on the Disease. 



By layers, a good effect ; incision of the vines, no succes ; fall 

 pruning, no success; late pruning, no success; no pruning, no 



