324 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



John Gr. Bergen stated that upon Long Island this sort of potatoes had 

 not proved as good as other sorts. 



Mr. Quinn said that it was not esteemed as an early potato, but it is 

 remarkably good at this season, and with us has proved entirely exempt 

 from disease. 



Mr. Gale said that he had grown a great many Prince Alberts upon 

 various kinds of soil in western New York, and found it a very prolific 

 potato, and the best that he ever grew. There is danger of over cooking 

 these potatoes. 



Mr. Carpenter said that the English Fluke and Napoleon potatoes have 

 been sold for Prince Alberts, and have not given satisfaction. They look 

 much alike, but are inferior to the Prince Alberts. 



The Chairman stated that he grew eighty acres last summer, of his new 

 seedliiig, free from disease, which were very prolific and good. The Cali- 

 fornia potato, he said, he had grown several years, and it produced the 

 largest number of bushels of any sort he ever cultivated, but it cannot be 

 recommended for cultivation here. 



THE NORTHERN SPY APPLE. 



Wm, Lawton showed a Northern Spy Apple, which he stated were 

 selling now at six cents each in the street. He thought, at such prices, 

 farmers could afford to raise fruit.' 



Mr. Carpenter said it was a very shy bearer, and could not be recom- 

 mended for general cultivation. 



Mr. Pardee stated that the Northern Spy is one of the most valuable 

 apples for spring use. It originated as a seedling in East Bloomfield, 

 N. Y. It is a slow growing tree, and only bears well upon mature trees. 

 It grows best upon clayey loam. The Norton Melon is another remarkably 

 fine apple, which originated in the same locality. 



Mr. Carpenter said that he could not recommend any one to plant the 

 Northern Spy in this region ; it will not give satisfaction. 



Dr. Wellington. — I think there is a great want of attention to the differ- 

 ence in soil in planting trees. What will succeed in one location utterly 

 fails in other localities. 



Dr. Humphrey thought the soil where the Northern originated was black 

 muck ore — a limestone clay. 



Mr. Pardee said it was not so in that part of the country. It was a 

 soil, however, very favorable to apples. 



Several gentlemen now called up the question, which has some time been 

 pending, and upon Solon Robinson, who introduced it, to speak upon it. 

 The question is : " Iron : its Uses and Abuses in Agriculture." 



IRON : ITS USES AND ABUSES. 



Solon Robinson. — Those who were present at our last meeting will 

 remember that I promised to say something upon a subject which they then 

 probably thought as barren, as they did that of the grindstone, which I 

 once named as a fit subject for discussion in a Farmers' Club. That I said 



