318 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



" I have been told by one of our oldest inbabitants that many people 

 lived upon this ground-nut during the winters 1817 and 1818, the nuts 

 having been collected in the fall for food. The flower of this plant is 

 quite showy and flagrant, the odor strongly resembles that of Orris root. 

 This plant would thrive in swampy lands, where boys might harvest -the 

 crop." 



The specimen inclosed was tasted, and the flavor and food-like taste of 

 it in this dried conditien much admired by members. 



Andrew S. Fuller. — This nut may be cultivated to advantage anywhere in 

 this country. It is very nutritious, and will grow in great abundance in 

 any rich soil. It grows very common upon western prairies and timber 

 land. Undoubtedly many of the people of whom we have had accounts of 

 their starving on the route to Pike's Peak, and in Minnesota, might with- 

 out doubt have found this food-plant if they had only known where to look 

 and how to designate it. It grows something like the small running pea 

 vine. Its blossom is fragrant and pretty. It is a plant really worthy of 

 more attention by the American people, notwithstanding it has grown wild 

 and neglected so long. 



HOT BEDS AND SPRING PLANTS. 



This question was called up, and Mr. Quinn, farmer and gardener upon 

 Prof. Mapes' farm, requested to give some information of his success in this 

 line. He said : The earth for hot beds should be gathered from woods, or rich 

 mold, and composted in summer, and well worked over, and in the fall cov- 

 ered with long manure, so as not to freeze. This is so as to have it in order 

 for sifting when it is wanted. The manure is very carefully prepared — one 

 part of it so as to heat, and one part not to ferment. The cold manure is 

 first spread eight inches thick, and then a layer of hot manure, and then a 

 layer of cold, and then covered with the prepared earth. The frame is 

 made so that the sash will shed rain, and set on the bed, and the earth and 

 manure filled in all around, and then the sash is covered with mats, and 

 and seed not sowed for four days. The ground being carefully prepared, 

 and seeds sown, the sash is kept close one day, and the second day opened. 

 Some seeds start much easier than others. Cabbage seed would spoil 

 before egg-plant seed would begin'_to germinate. We transplant from the 

 seed beds to other beds, and we are careful to give the plants air, but it 

 must be done with care, because the new plants are so tender that they are 

 easily killed by too much air at first. We prefer a southeastern exposure 

 for our hot beds. The size of each may be from 3| by 5 feet, to 5 by 8 

 feet. The former we make 18 inches high in front, and 30 inches in the 

 rear. Our frames are 4 by 6 feet, and the mats 5 by 8 feet, so as to lap 

 over the edges, to keep the beds warm. We generally sow the difi'erent 

 varieties of seeds in separate beds, as the plants require difi'erent treatment. 



John G. Bergen. — The cabbage plants of the Long Island market gardens 

 for early plants are grown from seed grown in the fall, and the plants pre- 

 served in cold frames. These cabbage seed are sown early in the spring, 



