AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 279 



tlioroughly, and defy any one to produce an iota of evidence to sustain 

 tke story. 



A REMARKABLE BEET. 



The Chairman exhibited a very remarkable beet, bearing a striking 

 resemblance to a human being seated with his legs drawn up before him. 

 He stated his opinion that the form was owing to a want of depth of tillage. 

 There was strength enough in the top soil to produce a strong growth, but 

 the sub-soil was so hard that it could not grow downward, and so it turned 

 up. The production of a root crop is in a ratio proportioned to the depth 

 the soil is made mellow. I have an anecdote about the Delaware grape. 

 A friend of mine at the west gathered from a few vines that he had planted 

 for his own use, S500 worth of grapes last season. 



Dr. Grant. — Carrots are an excellent crop to grow upon ground prepared 

 for grapes, and will pay all the expense of preparation. 



A Westchester county cultivator, stated that he had grown carrots and 

 parsnips over three feet long. I prefer parsnips to mellow soil, to carrots. 

 Parsnip seed should never be kept over one year. The Belgian white 

 carrot is the only sort I would recommend. 



Mr. Fuller. — The Chrysanthemum is about the only flowering plant that 

 stands hard freezing. There are a number of ornamental trees, the berries 

 of which are very pretty, like some of those exhibited by Mr. Roberts. 

 The RiMnymous^ known as the strawberry tree, produces a variety of 

 colors, and grafts from each may be set in one stock so as to show a variety 

 of colors and be very ornamental, where there is not room to grow a bush 

 of each color. It is well worth cultivating, because it helps to make up a 

 bouquet ■ot autumn flowers. 



FOOD FOR MEN AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



This one of the regular questions was called up and discussed at some 

 iength, and continued. 



BUCKWHEAT BREAD. 



F. K, Phoenix, of Bloomington, III., communicated the following receipt 

 for making buckwheat bread: To one quart of buttermilk, add a tea- 

 spooaful of soda, and flour enough to make a thin batter, and one ego-, if 

 convenient, and bake in a quick oven, and eat hot. 



A lady said she would vouch for its excellence, but did not think the 

 egg at all necessary. 



Mr. Pardee. — This subject of cooking our food is the most important 

 question we have ever discussed. It is not the quantity nor variety that 

 we eat, but the manner of cooking it. Upon the subject of variety, I 

 recommend our making a meal upon one dish only. If it is roast beef that 

 you begin upon, eat no other meat, and but few other ki»ds of food at that 

 meal. Make as great a variety as you please from day to day, but make 

 each meal of a single dish as fiir as possible. Do not keep tasting and 

 tasting of dish after dish. It is, no doubt, the cause of much of the ill- 

 health of people of the present day. 



