182 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



maud fifty cents. Oue half the produce of the trellis would afford a toler- 

 able family supply, and the sale of the other half would paj for the eutire 

 attention of a well kept garden. 



-If those who desire to obtain vines will acquire the information which 

 they shoidd have, in order to enter upon the course iinderstandingly and 

 safely, producers of vines will, by force of circumstances, be compelled to 

 furnish good ones, for they will find sale for no others. My object in this 

 lecture is chiefly to furnish such information; and if I could speak to all 

 who are about to obtain vines, and could demonstrate the true course of 

 proceeding, by the exhibition of the realities of the case, as has just been 

 done, few that are capable of comprehending any subject fully would go 

 wrong in this. 



The production of good plants is the first step toward obtaining grapes, 

 and the second, obtaining good vines in perfect order; but these steps, 

 however well taken, are not, of themselves, sufiicient to secure the accom- 

 plishment of the largest success. 



After the vines have been obtained, two other steps, of equal importance, 

 are to be made before the goal can be reached ; the first of which is, the 

 proper planting of the vines in suitably prepared soil; and the next is pro- 

 per cultivation and training. 



When these operations are xmskillfully performed, the best plants often 

 prove to bo but little better than the poorest in their results, which is utter 

 failure. 



Adjourned. John W. Chambers, Secretary, 



November 10, 1863. 

 Mr. Nathan C, Ely in the chair. 



Seeds from Caxifornia. 



The Secretary read a letter from Mr. John Bruce, of Mariposa, Cal. : 

 " I have been successful in obtaining, through the kindness of Mr. 

 Galen Clark, some rare seeds and gums from the trees whereon the seeds 

 grew. Mr. Clark had an order from San Francisco for seeds of the mam- 

 moth tree, Washingtouia Gigantea, to obtain which he had to cut one of 

 them down, there being no other mode available from their immense height 

 but at that sacrifice. From tlie tree he cut down he obtained sixteen 

 pounds of seed, this to me, at first, appeared but a small recompense for 

 such an amount of labor. The seeds theiiiselves are so minute and light 

 to be the product of such immense giants, and the burs containing thena 

 must of themselves, when in the green state, be of great weight. I ob- 

 tained four of the burs in the green state, containing the seeds that were 

 quite heavy for their size. These I now send you, together with a small 

 quantity of the seeds taken from the burs for distribution. I also send you 

 some seeds of the Sugar Pine, a magnificent tree of from 250 to 300 feet 

 high, and ranging from 15 feet to 5 in diameter. I also send some of the 

 gum contained in the mammoth trees, which, it is supposed here, is the 

 cause of the longevity of the trees and the durability of the wood, after 

 the tree has fallen, for it is a truth, that all the prostrate trees show no 

 visible sigcs of decay, though there is abundant evidence to prove that 



