424 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Dr. Smith, of the Times, has ascended Snowden and Ben-Lo- 

 mond, in Wales, and was much surprised to find tussock bog and 

 wet ground nearly all the way up to their summit, (over 3,000 

 feet.) Water finds its way therefore where we should naturally 

 least expect it. 



Rev. Mr. White of Staten Island, has often remarked the wet 

 condition of ground in the ascent and summits of the high grounds 

 of Staten Island. Some of the best springs of water rise there, and 

 there are swamps also on the elevations. 



Mr. Meigs stated the existence of abundant waters on mountain 

 ranges; lakes on the Himalayas over 10,000 feet high ; fish ponds 

 on our own Hudson river mountains, 3,000 feet high — as at Cats- 

 kill summit for instance. These cannot all receive their supplies 

 from rain, but probably from deep natural artesian holes. 



David Cotheal, Esq., one of our merchants of high standing, in 

 the busy commercial affairs of his house does not forget to import 

 from distant lands such plants as may benefit his country. 



He gave us seeds of Mozambique grass — south-easterly side of 

 Africa — which grows fifteen feet high and bears abundance of 

 useful small grain or seed. And last season some of it grew here 

 to nearly that great height. Forty packets of the seed were gladly 

 accepted by the members. 



The Secretary recommended planting of it in six inch double 

 drills, and these two feet apart to give this tall crop a better chance 

 to stand up, and to permit the cultivator to go through it in the 

 two feet spaces. 



R. L. Pell — I have germinated seeds in moistened hair, and 

 they grew finely until the mineral matters contained in them 

 were exhausted, when the plant, notwithstanding it had blos- 

 somed, died. If the necessary ingredients had been supplied it 

 would have borne seed. I have grown oats in pure sand to the 

 height of twenty inches, when they died. In similar hair and 

 sand, by artificial preparation, the same variety of seeds were 

 grown to full perfection and ripened their seeds, showing that 

 there is great art in manuring. 



The farmer should understand what the inorganic constituents 

 of the grain he intends to sow are, and likewise of the soil, to 

 know whether it will give to the crop a sufficient quantity of 

 mineral food to bring it to maturity. For example, if we intend 

 to plant potatoes we should know that potash and lime are both 

 required, the former to perfect the tubers, and the latter the 

 leaves. Turnips require phosphate of lime for the bulbs and 

 magnesia for the tops. 



