0\) TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



" Tlieie is (Uio iniportant siibjci-t to wliicli I wonlil r<'s]>('ctfiilly caT! tlit* 

 attiMition of VDiir cliil), ami \Uni is. tijc iiia»ijji)ialii>rK>r si>ii>e r('i;-ijlar svsteii* 

 for the tlivisiou of u fanner's time : Tliis becomes ai>]»arei>t when we see 

 Fanner A risiiij;- at daylij^ht, and hiboriii;^ inig'ht aiul main fur fourteen or 

 fifteen hours a ilay, while Farmer \i — a man of less physieal and nventul 

 aetivity — becomes discoiiraf^ed at snch desperate eilbits to gain a liveli- 

 liooil, ami hence concludes that the savage's life is the n>ost congenial to 

 man; and, wifliont any more reflection, takes his fo«'Iii>g-piece in hand, and 

 spends his precious time in killing innocent birds, leaving his dilapidated 

 fences to take care of themselves. My theory is that proper division and 

 application of the powers of man is the only direct road to true happiness. 

 The club may object to the inaugurating of systems for the regulation of 

 society. If so, I would ask that some of j'oiir experienced correspondents 

 wonlil stiggest rules and propound (jueries uu this subject. What ails me 

 is, 1 have had no system, and am consequently nothing but an old, worn- 

 ont pack-horse." 



Mr. Solon Kobinsi>n — I think that is what ails a great n^any faruiers. 

 The want of system, and the want of improved tools and modes of cultiva- 

 tion, and better adaptation of crops to clin)ate and soil, nuikes then) prc^ 

 maturely " old, worn-out pack-horses." Who can devise any feasible remedy 

 for this unfortunate condition of farmers ? 



Seed Corn — Remedy against Worms. 



31 r. John Graves, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., says: "Some j'ears since I 

 planted a piece of ground that was much infested by worms. I planted 

 four times, three plantings being appro])riated b}' worms. I afterward 

 read in son)e periodical that soaking the seed for twenty-four hours in a 

 decoction of tobacco would be found a sure preventive. I have followed 

 that direction ever since, and the worms have never deprived me of a 

 single seed. It is the only use I have ever made of tobacco, having often 

 wondered previously of what possible use it could be to nvmkiiid." 



A Pestiferous Weed Described. 



Mr. (i. Churchill, of Troy, Medina county. 111., gives the following useful 

 description and name of a weed which, according to this description, would 

 not be a valuable " fibrous j)lant " for cultivation. Mr. C'hurchill says : 



" In the report of one of your me<'tings, J. W. IJennetl, near Terra 

 Haute, Iiid., speaks of a fibrous weed that ' abounds in cornfields,' but 

 'does not know its name.' Its name is 'Indian .Mailuw.' 'Cultor,' 

 a scientific writer, in lite Iowa Farmer, for l)(criul>(r, IS;"),"), p. Ifci, 

 gjvc-8 the following description of it : 



" Indian .Mallow, Almlilou Aviceiiuie (Sida Abutilon, Linn.), demands at- 

 tention from its size and rapid spread. It is an upright |)lant, from three 

 to five feet in height, with pale-green bark and foliage, and orange-yellow 

 flowers, three-f )iirlhs of an inch in diameter, 'fin; leaves are roundish, 

 lieart-shape<l, soft and velvety. The capsules are divided into about fifteen 

 carpels, each of which c<uitains about three seeds, and is surmounted by 

 two points or beaks, which project, forming a kind of cni) on the upjjcr 



