PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 271 



This rule is to mix one part currant juice, two parts water, two parts sugar. 

 He has found by experiment that two pounds per gallon is sufticient to pre- 

 ser%'c the mixture from acetous fermentation. The currants should not be 

 picked \vhen heated by the sun, and ihe juice should be expressed as soon as 

 possible, and the whole operation conducted rapidly to a conclusion. 



Mr. Solon Kobinson said there was no difficulty about the manufactui-e 

 of domestic wine sufficient to prevent any family who desired it having an 

 abundance of just such a pleasant beverage as this now before us, but he 

 doubted the Avholesomeness of everything but the pure juice of the grape. 



Mr. George Bartlett thought we had better not undertake to discuss the 

 wholesomcness, as it was a difficult question to settle. The gentleman 

 from Ilannnondton who presented the wine said it was not difficult to settle 

 the question of profitableness of blackberry culture for making such wine 

 as this, as one of his neighbors had sold SI, 300 worth this year from two 

 acres and a quarter. 



Southdown Sheep. 



The Chairman read an article stating why Southdown sh(^cp are so called. 

 The name comes from a range of chalky hills in Sussex County, England, 

 five or six miles wide by eighty long, upon which this breed of sheep origi- 

 nated. 



Professor Nyce's Fruit Preservatory. 



Mr. Asher L. Smith, Lebanon, Conn. — During my visit to the West, I 

 visited the establishment of Professor Nyce at Cleveland, Ohio, and found 

 several varieties of grapes in perfect condition; also apples as good as 

 when stored in the fall. A large quantity of butter was stored in one of 

 the departments, put rn in the fall, when butter was cheap. 



On motion of Mr. Carpenter, the Secretary was directed to invite Prof. B. 

 M. Nyce to visit this city and give an address before the Club upon his 

 mode of preserving fruits. 



Chicory. 



Mr. William J Spence presented a very fine specimen of chicory root 

 grown upon what are called thebarreji lands of Long Island, at the rate of 

 oOO bushels per acre, at the cost of $7 for manure fur one half acre and $T 

 value of labor. At a salable price, the product would be worth $800 per 

 acre. The land is worth §10 to $25 per acre. 



Mr. R. H. Williams regarded the deleterious effects of the use of chicory 

 as an adulterator of coffee. 



, Mr. S<jlon Robinson contended that coffee was not adulterated by an ad- 

 dition of one-fourth its weight of the dried and roasted root of chicory. He 

 said he had grown it and used it in his family for several years without 

 any deleterious effects, but on the contrary those who had been injured by 

 the use of pure coffee found themselves benefited by the use of that " adul- 

 terated" by the addition of chicory. And he earnestly recommends, as he 

 has often done before, that every farmer in the country should grow and 

 use chicory in connection with cofi"ee, as a positive improvement of the ar- 

 ticle, and without any fear of injury, no matter what old fogies may say to 

 the contrary^ 



