116 ^TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



two, with several of tlie best, as the first crop is never sufiicient to decide 

 the character of any seedling-. Some that have appeared promising at first 

 have afterward proved quite unworthy of cultivation. 



Mr. Hite said that he had already thrown away a vast number of seed- 

 ling's, but hoped by perseverance to got an improvement, and recommends 

 others to pursue the same course. 



Mr. Carpenter spoke of the success of a new strawberry plantation of 

 ten acres, near Mamaroneck, Westcliester county, which, from present in- 

 dications, the proprietor thinks will yield 75,000 quarts. The plants are 

 set eight to twelve inches apart, in rows three feet wide, which are culti- 

 vated by horses, and to obviate the effect of the present drouth, which has 

 almost ruined the strawberry crop in many places, this field is watered 

 daily b}' a sprinkling cart. The largest portion of the field is set with 

 Wilson's seedlings, which appear to be in good favor with all who grow 

 strawberries for market in that vicinity. 



Mr. Hite thought Downer's about as prolific as Wilson's in his neighbor- 

 hood, and more saleable, because a much handsomer color, being a bright 

 scarlet. 



Flax Machines. 



Mr. M. B. Wright, of Forest Lake, says: "We are putting up a flax 

 mill this summer, and I do not know but some of the Club know of some 

 other than Sanford & Mallory's machine. Please bring up the matter for 

 discussion and elicit information." 



Prof. Mapes. — Mr. Geo. W. Billings has a machine for breaking and 

 cleaning flax. He takes the flax from the field, and by masceratiug it first 

 in warm water, is able to complete it fit for the spinner in a very short 

 time. On suggestion of Mr. Robinson, it was resolved that the subject ef 

 Fibres be made the special subject of the day two weeks hence. 



Deers' Horns — ^What Becomes of Them ? 



Dr. Trimble, in speaking of the Philadelpliia Parks, mentioned the very 

 ornamental feature of the herd of deer, and that their horns were just now 

 in the velvet. 



Prof. Mapes. — Can j'ou or any one alse tell me for a certainty, what be- 

 comes of the horns shed by deer, which are seldom, if ever found in the 

 woods? An elk or moose sheds off nearly 100 weight of horns, almost an 

 entire mass of phosphate of lime. Is it possible that the necessary amount 

 for the new growth in a few weeks can be obtained from the ordinary food 

 of the animal, or does it bury its old horns, where they soften so that it can 

 return and eat them at the proper time ? Who knows aught of this great 

 secret in nature ? 



Are Squashes Monoecious ? 



E. Wilbur, of Albion, writes: 



" Will you please present to the next meeting of the Farmers' Club 

 of the American Institute the following inquiry relative to the squash, the 

 pumpkin, and other monoecious plants : Do the squash, the pumpkin, &c., 

 properly belong to the monoecious family, with which they are generally 

 classed ? Linnseus, and I believe all his successors, describe the pumpkin 

 as having the male and the female organs in different flowers on the 



