222 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



GRAPES 



Love a volcanic soil, 



CORK OAK. 



Plants from seed sent by the Patent Office, are doing well, indicating a 

 future successful growth. Mr. Dresel watered some of them, the seeds, 

 from time to time — not one grew. He left 85 unwatered, and 81 grew 

 and are doing finely. That the Cork, {^Quercus suber) will flourish here, 

 is beyond doubt. 



We think the Chufa for fattening cattle, swine and poultry, is worth five 

 times as much as potatoes. You leave it in the ground until wanted. By 

 analysis it is greatly superior to potato and Indian corn. About one-sixth 

 part of Chufa is vegetable fat or oil. Fig tree, Tg feet in circumference, 

 four feet above ground. 



The chairman and several gentlemen wished it distinctly understood 

 that the Chufa is not a plant that infests land if neglected in any country 

 where the land freezes. 



OLIVE. 



At the Mission San Fernando, 500 old olive trees make 800 gallons of 

 oil in a season. 



Monte grows corn from 14 to 22 feet high with from two to four ears 

 per stalk, 100 bushels an acre. 



[Bulletin Mensuel De La Societe Imperiale, Zoologique D'Acclimatation, Paris, May, 1859. 



Translated by H. Meigs.] 



AQU^CULTUM. 



The acclimation and breeding of fishes, should form part of a science 

 which is yet in its infancy. Mons. O'Ryan d'Accena, gives us the happy 

 idea that it is cultivating the waters. The study of this science will em- 

 brace all observations on the oceans, currents and inhabitants, not only a 

 few fishes, but all sorts, shell fish included, and their acclimation. The 

 most precious, as oysters, &c., to be acclimated in thousands of places 

 where they are not now. The crabs of England, as large as dinner plates, 

 on the proper grounds of America, &c. 



CULTURE OF THE LEECH. 



This valuable creature is now cultivated. Mademoiselle de Ruffieux, of 

 the Department of the Aire, has myriads of them, of different ages, in her 

 reservoirs. She commenced in 1849. The Leech requires the water where 

 it deposits its eggs, to be shallow. She feeds them with blood from butch- 

 ers, but finds it better to let horses into the water and thousands of leeches 

 fill themselves. About twelve acres are devoted to the leech culture. Her 

 profits by the sale of leeches, has surpassed all expectations, although the 

 expenses are large. Never was success better merited than this by Made- 

 moiselle Ruffieux. 



Auguste Dumeril, Secretary of the Society, states, that they have re- 

 ceived from Australia the noble Cereopsis, a species of goose — flesh very 

 delicate — wander much, is very warlike, can be tamed ; believes that the 



