5TG TUAXSACTIOXS OF THE AMERIVAy IXSTITUTE. 



Tills friend writes as follows : 



" There are generally two and sometimes tliree seeds in a glume. 

 I in(;lose you some of my seed taken from the crop just thrashed. 

 The seed of pure Alsike has many sliades. Some are dark and light 

 green, some brown, and some black. It is four or live years since I 

 sowed the small Held of four and a quarter acres. I have cut it twice 

 for seed, and pastured it the balance of the time. It is my belief 

 that it will last a good many years, without re-seeding, especially on 

 moist ground. My crop in 1867, of four and a quarter acres, gave me 

 thirty-three bushels and clean seed. Last season the dry land gave 

 three bushels, and the moist six bushels the acre. The season was 

 dry and unfavorable. 



A Presentation to the Secretary of the Club. 



Dr. J. E. Snodgrass, at this stage of the proceedings, came forward 

 and presented a beautiful portfolio to Mr. John W. Chambers the 

 Secretary, with the following appropriate remarks : 



Mr. Secretary : At the close of recent proceedings connected with 

 the presentation of a deserved tribute of respect and esteem to our 

 worthy chairman, a member asked if we were "done with this 

 mutual admiration business." lie was answered, by another mem- 

 ber, that he trusted we sliould never be done with it, and that " mutual 

 admiration," and the harmonious feelings which ft presupposes, 

 would ever characterize our relations as coequal members of a club, 

 to which he might have added the hope, wliich he no doubt had in 

 his heart, that envy and jealousy, not to say malice and deceit, would 

 be banished from the breasts of all concerned here, wliether officers, 

 representatiYes of the press, or private members. 



Precisely this, Mr. Secretary, so far as I know, is your bearing as a 

 notably silent, but not the less efficient officer of the Farmers' Club. 

 (The silent forces of nature are ever the most powerful). Your 

 record embraces a faithful, untiring, and at the same time cordial, 

 service of no less than eight years. This has been rendered in the 

 double capacity of secretary and clerk, to say nothing of your ever 

 obliging services as librarian of the Institute. 



In view of the record at wliich I have thus glanced, the committee 

 of donors, whose chairman I have the honor to be, ha^ no fear that 

 any one will begrudge you the well deserved token of esteem which 

 I am about to present to you, and which is most appropriate to your 

 office, as the custodian of as many as 90,000 letters which have 



