AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



223 



Elder Duck can be acclimated. The Bronze Wings Pigeons of Australia, 



are received. 



Mons. Chauvin has published a work on the making of oyster beds. 



Mons. David announced the arrival from South America, of seeds of the 

 South American Forage, the Yerva de Grimea. 



APPLES AND PEARS. 



Wm. S. Carpenter, of Harrison, Westchester county, presented several 

 specimens of apples and pears of the summer varieties. Carpenter's Seed- 

 ling, proved on tasting, one of the most delicious of our summer apples. 

 The fruit-growers who were present, considered it well worthy of propaga- 

 tion. It is of a melting nature in the mouth, and mildly acid and buttery. 

 The Red Astracan is also an excellent apple. 



DOWNING's EVER-BEARING MULBERRY. 



Dr. Grant exhibited some fruit of this variety, which the Chairman said 

 is the only sort that is really valuable. The Doctor said one of its good 

 qualities was its abundance of tartaric acid. It commences fruiting in straw- 

 berry time, and continues through the summer. 



Mr. Carpenter presented some specimens of rye, showing the new white 

 rye that he is growing to great advantage. 



THE APPLE SQUASH. 



Mr. Carpenter showed two of these in condition for eating, and said they 

 possess quite a fruity flavor. They are flat, about an inch thick, and three 

 inches across, and grow in bunches on the vines, being very prolific. 



Mr. T, W. Field presented specimens of the Doyenne d'Ete or Summer 

 Yirgalieu, of handsome color and fine flavor, growing on trees which have not 

 been in this country four months, having been planted on the 3d of May 

 last. Fruit medium size, obovate, rich, aromatic flavor, melting and very 

 juicy ; tree fine shape, very rapid growth, and very productive. 



SPONTANIETY OP LIFE. 



Mr. Solon Robinson read a lengthy letter from John M. Kennedy, of Phila- 

 delphia, which, after speaking of the deep interest with which he always 

 reads the reports of the Farmers' Club, ofi"ers for its consideration his the- 

 ory upon the prevention, of late, of insects destructive to fruits, grain and 

 food-producing plants. His theory is that it is owing to " spontaniety of 

 life." He says: 



" Science has, as I think, dogmatically assumed that all organic life 

 must of necessity originate from a produced germ, seed, or egg, and from 

 this stand-point is seeking to comprehend why our fruit trees, cereals, &c.> 

 are so subject to destructive insects, worms, &c., and to find a preventive 

 thereof. It will be conceded that, if premises are unsound, the more logi- 

 cal the deductions, the more certain are the conclusions to be erroneous. 

 Hence, if the assumption that all such worms as the curculio, and insects 

 in our grains, necessarily originate from produced and deposited eggs, is in 

 fact an error, then all experiments to find a preventive through the use of 



