PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 275 



tory running' until they can dig again in tliQ Spring; and it is said that 

 there are stumps enough left on the plains to last the company for three or 

 four years. The tar is worth about $14 per barrel, and the turpentine 

 about S250. Wlio but Yankees would Iiave brought down the price of tar 

 and turpentine by digging pitch wuod stumps for its manufacture?" 



Sheep Shedding Wool. 



Mr. Albert Pease, Salem, Franklin county, Maine, says: " If you do not 

 want your sheep to shed wool, do not keep them too warm. Here in Frank- 

 lin county, Maine, latitude about 46 degrees, we are careful not to shut up 

 our sheep in a close pen, except in tlie very severest weather We feed 

 mosth' undercover, but have a yard connected with the sheep pen, into 

 which they are allowed to go at pleasure, except in a ftiw instances of very 

 cold weather. We do not niiud their getting wet, if +hey have a tight 

 shelter to go under when they choose. And I have observed that in mode- 

 rate storms, either of rain or snow, they seem to choose to be out. They 

 should have water in the yard to go to at pleasure. It may be that expo- 

 sure without shelter woii'd induce the shedding of wool, but it would do it 

 by producing' emaciation. If sheep get very poor, and are suddenly made 

 to thrive by better feed, ihoy will shed their wool. Turnips are an excel- 

 lent feed for sheep, preventing many diseases, especially the stretches. I 

 feed mine a few e\:ery day," 



Adjourned. Jdhn W. Chambers, Sscretary. 



March 21, 1865. 

 Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the chair. 



State of the Weather. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — It is worthy of record that it was so warm to- 

 day that we sit with open windows, and that winter clotliing was burden- 

 some. Several members reported the thermometer at 65.deg. to 70 deg. in 

 the sliade. Tlie frost, which has been 3| feet deep, is nearl}- all out of the 

 earth, and the hot sun of to-da^^ will inelt the little tliat remains. The sur- 

 face is alr(!ady dry enougli for the plow in well drained soil. 



Potatoes not Hurt by Freezing. 



Mrs. W. L.P. Ilerr, Brooklyn, L. I., says she has been in the habitof rais- 

 ing some 8,000 or 9,000 bag-s of potatoes (I| bushels each) yearly. Part 

 of these potatoes were put into pits^ covered with earth. These pits were 

 only opened to withdraw potatoes for kitchen or distilling- purposes. Tiiose 

 lying uppermost were frozen so hard that with great difficulty they could 

 be removed in order to reach those underneath. 



These pits were, of course, again properly covered, and on being opened 

 again in spring these very potatoes were found sprouting and otherwise iii 

 good Cftndition for all purposes. This, I suppose, will clearly show that 

 frost, if gradually thawed out, will not deteriorate potatoes in any respect. 



Dr. Trimble. — It depends altogether upon the rapidity of thawing whether 

 'potatoes will be injured or not. They may be thawed for use in cold water. 



