CO TRANSACTIONS OF THE AAIERICAN INSTITUTE. 



but is apt to bfcoine raiicitl. It l>iiriis well in lamps and i.s liard to froozo. 

 This cro]) is sown in the spiincf of thi; year, but may be defenc d until 

 June in countries having; a warm, dry autumn. It is sown broadcast at 

 the rate <>f four jxuinds per acre, and is harvested wlien tiie seed ])ods 

 be<;^in lo turn yellow. If too ripe it is ajit to whell. In Eng'Iand the crop 

 is averaged at from '24 tn o"2 bu.shels per acre. 



Can we Produce Silk ? 



Mr. Tiicodnrc Martindalc, I\irtlanil, Ohio, Wiiiits the CluV) to discu.ss the 

 question in reffard to the practicability of prolitably <>rowing silk in the 

 United States. He thinks " if we can ever raise our own silk, now is tho 

 time to connnence, as we must necessarily have a hi;;]i protective tarill" on 

 all articles of luxuiy like silk." 



Mr. Solon Kohinson. — The writer probably is not as well aware as many 

 meinhers of this Club, that the ])raclicability of producing* silk in thi.s 

 C(Mintry was thoroughly demonstrated more than fifty years ago. 



31 r. ^Vm. li. Prince gave a brief review (jf the history of some early 

 eflbrts in this behalf, and the reason why they failed. It was simply the 

 want of |)rotection to the early producers and manufacturer.s. 



The Canada Thistle on Western Prairies. 



Mr. J. AVesley Philips writes from NVashington, 111., as follows: 

 " I wish to call the attention of the Farmers' Club to a question I regard 

 of much importance to the farming communit}' in the west. The Canada 

 thistle is now making its appc^arance in many parts of this State, brought 

 hero in various ways, to wit: with trees from eastern nurseries; seed 

 grain, roots, hay and straw packing aliout various wares. It was brouglit 

 here to Washington in the spring of 1803 with a|)ple trees from a IJociies- 

 tcr nursery. The owner of the soil discovered it during the sunnner in 

 vast numbers ab(»ut one tn-e, when his susju'cion Avas aroused, and ho 

 used great exertion to suIkIuc it; but, to his astoni.'-lmn'Mt, this spring it 

 was thicker than ever. Now, it is claimeil by Honu; that the ('anada 

 thistle will not live and mature in this rich ))rMirie soil of the west, but 

 being so well acqu.iinted with it in New York State, feel <]uit<' siir<; it will 

 1)0 a nmch more stubborn thing to deal with her<' than where tin- soil is 

 loss fertile. I wish tin; opinion of the Club on this subject, ami the man- 

 lier in which the thing sliouhl l>e dealt with from the lieginning." 



Mr. Solon Pobinson — There; is but one course for praiiie farmers to ]iursue 

 with this pest. It is to wage upon it a war of utti-r extermination. No matter 

 thai it may be like the present war of the Nation. The thistles .are like tht; 

 rebels — tlu-y must be ci)n<pu'red and snbduOil, or they will con(pier and sub- 

 due the farmers. Whenever the prairie soil becomes as thickly stndiled with 

 tliistles as some of the farms of Canada, the land will lie no more valnaiile. 

 Indeed, it will be le.><s valuable, because, the soil being so much deep»r 

 and richer, the thistles will grow ranker, and when they once beeome 

 fi.xofl, will be m<ue difnctdt to exterminate* than they are in the poor, haid 

 soil of the north; ami there they have obtained such .'i firm hold that all 

 att<'mpfs to exterminate them have been giv(,'n up. Of all the pests ever 



