.Proceebixgs of the Faejiebs^ Club. 439 



Remedy for Potato E-ot. 



Mr. B. L. Lounsbuiy read a paper on a patented preparation by Mr, 

 Reed, which, from certificates, conveyed the idea that there need be 

 no difficnlty in growing potatoes. 



Mr. X. C. Meeker. — This is so far from beino; new that it was 

 bronght np beftjre the clnb more than a year ago, and not much 

 attention was paid to it. Tlie time to consider it is the spring, when 

 some of the preparation should be given to a committee that they 

 may report upon it. If we are to say anything in regard to it, we 

 should first know something about it. 



The Chair. — I will name Dr. Hexamer, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. 

 Carpenter, to whom the inventor can present some of his compound, 

 if he chooses, and we will have a report. 



Mr. Wm. Lawton. — I do not believe that the potato rot is in the 

 tubers at all ; nor do I believe that anybody knows what causes it. 



Deep Plowing. 



Mr. Horace Greeley read the following paper : 



Many controversies result from imperfect definitions. The same 

 words, the same phrases, convey diflerent ideas to the rival disputants. 

 Let me begin, then, by making myself clearly understood. To save 

 time, I will define by negation or exclusion, as follows : 



All soils do not require ^^loiving to the same depth ', because 



1. A large portion of the earth's surface should never be plowed at 

 all. jSTo wet lands should be plowed until thoroughly, permanently 

 drained ; plowing them while still wet, or certain to become so after 

 rains, is throwino; labor awav. A very laro-e area, consistino- of 

 swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, sea, hike, river and brook mai'gins or 

 intervales frequently submerged or sudden, should never be plowed 

 until drained or embanked. 



2. Then a great proportion of tlie rocky hillsides or crests, which 

 consist mainly of rocks thinly covered by and often protruding through 

 the soil, should never be plowed, but should be kept always in forest, 

 from which timber is taken from time to time, but never to such 

 extent as to reveal its ruggedness. Westcliester county alone has 

 thousands of acres, now denuded and devoted to grazing, which 

 should never have been cleared. Cut ofl:' the timber if you are not 

 content with cutting out, but keep such rough land always in wood. 

 Its cultivation can never pay ; its grass is burnt up by a sultry week ; 

 while stripping it of timber tends to render our springs and streams. 



