PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 163 



Mr. Solon Robinson — The answer to these questions is, that such 

 soil is very well adapted to the production of osiers, but it has never 

 yet been fully demonstrated whether this crop would be a profitable 

 one in this country. There is a g-ood demand in New York at a higher 

 price per ton than hay ever commands. Perhaps the profitableness of the 

 culture can be estimated from that. As to his other questions, we would 

 refer our correspondent to Dr. Grant of lona, near Peekskill, N. Y., who is 

 just as competent to give instruction about osier culture as he is about 

 grapes. 



The Law of Highway Repairs. 



Mr. A. Howell, of Orange county, N. Y., wants to know what the law is 

 regarding the repair of highways as to the source from whicli the material 

 is procured. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — This question is easily answered. The supervisor 

 has the right to enter upon any man's land to procure any materials necessary 

 to the repair of roads under his charge; butheis bound also to take such as 

 will least damage the owner, and to obtain them from suc^h sources as will 

 be least expensive to the road district, which is bound to pay for all mate- 

 rials used, and all damages done to land. In taking materials from the 

 roadside the Supervisor is bound to do it in such manner as will infiict the 

 least possible damage to the owner of the adjoining land. For instance, 

 he cannot cut a deep ditch opposite to a gateway, nor can he plow up and 

 disfigure the ground in front of a house, unless it is absolutely necessary 

 for the improvement of the road. 



Rhubarb Vinegar. 



0. H. Kelley, Itasca, Anoka county, Minn., says : "In one of the proceeJ- 

 iugs of the Club, you state that vinegar can be made of pie plant equal to 

 apple vinegar, by the same process. Do you mean to say that the juice of 

 the pie plant, allowed to stand without the addition of any saccharine 

 matter, will become superior vinegar ?" 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — No ; we do not mean to say that the juice 

 of any plant or fruit destitute of sugar will make good vinegar, 

 because it requires sugar to be changed hy combination with malic acid 

 into vinegar, which also contains alcohol. We do say that by the addition 

 of one or two pounds of sugar to a gallon of pie plant juice, exposed to 

 the air, excellent vinegar will result. Several members of the Club hav- 

 ing proved this, are willing to recommend all who have pie plant and have 

 not cider, to make their own vinegar. 



The Moon's Influence. 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — Since the Club opened the discussion upon the 

 influence of the moon upon animals and plants, the question appears to 

 have attracted more attention than almost any other ever debated by the 

 Club. It shows how universal is the belief that the moon does, in some 

 , mysterious way, affect the earth. If farmers are really dependent upon 

 the phases of the moon for success in their operations, they should know 

 it. That they may have light upon what most of the members of the Club 

 think one of the relics of the dark ages, we continue to report opinions 

 given by correspondents. 



