PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 171 



larly in dry, rocky pastures, and bears long- cone-slmped clusters of berries, 

 which turn a deep red color in autumn, and remain on the bushes through 

 the winter, and are sometimes used medicinally. The leaves change in 

 autumn to a yellow and scarlet color, which makes it quite a handsome 

 ornamental shrub, for which it is sometimes cultivated, The poison sumac 

 grows in swamps. 



Mr. N. C. Ely — Rather in the intermediate ground between high land and 

 swamp, particularly along stone walls, where the soil is rich. The poison 

 variety bears a brown^greenish fruit, which never changes to red, and grows 

 larger than the other sort. The kind that I understand is recommended for 

 tea is the same that ia used for tanning purposes. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter, Mr. N. C. Ely, Dr. Trimble and Mr. Veeder were 

 appointed a committee to investigate the subject, and report to a future 

 meeting. 



Mr. Veeder thought it might be profitably cultivated for tanning, since 

 large quantities are imported from Sicily. 



Mr. Solon Robinson said that it would not bear cultivation to advantage, 

 A few cuttings will destroy its life. 



A gentleman present said that the price of American sumac is generally 

 two-thirds the value of the Sicilian. At present one is $90, the other $60 

 a ton, ground ready for use. There is no duty on the importation. 



Hedges and Hedge Plants. 



Mr. Martin Allen writes from Mendota, La Salle County, 111., as follovv^s: 



" I notice in your proceedings that you condemn hedges, and, there- 

 fore, rather refuse to recommend any plant as suitable for hedging. Now, 

 we of the West are much interested in your discussions. We are also 

 much interested in hedging. Hedges may be impracticable in a country 

 full of timber and stone, where the farms and fields are both small and 

 land dear; but on the western prairies, where land is cheap and many fields 

 contain hundreds and even thousands of acres, and where the material is 

 often brought one or two hundred rniles to fence the fields with, I 

 think hedging quite practicable, and I hope your Club will agree with me, 

 and condescend to tell us in their future discussions how we shall best 

 fence our farms, or if not fence in our farms, how to best fence out our 

 roads, which is about the amount of our present fencing. The Osage orange 

 is an excellent hedge plant, but the seed, which is a product of Texas, can- 

 not be obtained at present on account of the unholy slaveholders' rebellion. 

 The West will sufi'er hundreds of thousands of dollars during the rebellion 

 for want of Osage orange seed alone." 



Mr. John G. Bergen — This letter proceeds upon the principle that the Club 

 condemns hedges altogether. This is not so. We have had discussions 

 about what farmers could use for hedging, and some members have insisted 

 that none could be advantageously used. 



A very animated discussion followed, in which all sorts of things were 

 recommended, Solon Robinson contending that all in turn had failed, either 



