438 Transactions of the Amekican Institute. 



December 1, 1868. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the cliaiv ; Mr. John W. Chambebs, Secretary. 



Rhode Island Sweet Cokn. 



Mr. J. B. Olcott, Bucldand, Hartford county, Conn. — I propose to 

 venture my Rhode Island sweet corn in tlie market, and would be 

 glad of the good wishes of the Farmers' Club. Out of twenty-nine 

 kinds which I bought and planted last spring, I foimd none with so 

 many good points as the sort I have sent you for distribution several 

 years. I do not vaunt on its earliness, but this year it came to the 

 table ten weeks after planting, June 6. Of course, this was on warm 

 land and the season was imcommonly rainy. Until lately, my 

 judgment has been entirely disinterested, but I have abundant testi- 

 mony to conlirm my high opinion of it. I shall send it out through 

 the mail at fifty cents, for enough for fifty hills. If there is any 

 better sort I will help bring it out and will furnish $100 premium, if 

 the club will take upon themselves the trouble of awarding it. 



The Chair. — This gentleman sent three barrels of his corn to the 

 club in years past, for distribution, and he deserves our thanks. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — I do not know Mr. Olcott personally, nor am 

 I acquainted v\'ith his corn, but while living in Illinois I had some 

 correspondence with him, and I jndge him a public spirited man. 

 He wrote about grasses, and expressed a. great desire to know the 

 diiference between June and blue grass, 2>oa j»>/Y'fc??,<i'« and 2>oa 

 co'inpretisa^ concerning Avhich the Kentucky people are undecided, and 

 botanists give little light. He proposed that sod of the two kinds be 

 sent to the American Institute from various parts of the country, to 

 be rooted when they could be subject to comparison, and a final 

 decision of the question be reached, but I believe nothing came of it. 

 I would move a vote of thanks to Mr. Olcott, and that the club 

 recommend his corn as a valuable variety. Carried. 



Dr. Israel Jarvis. — Some people will probably be disappointed 

 because corn changes with the climate. 



Mr, W. S. Carpenter. — I have found the best sweet corn to be 

 " Stowell's evergreen." Its ears are very long, and it produces 

 better than any other. But as it comes very late the seed is difficult 

 to be obtained. If I were confined to two varieties of sweet corn I 

 Would alwavs wish one of them to be Stowell's. 



