AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 413 



■which we get the acid of the fruit, sweetened, and the alcohol of a portion 

 of the sugar. Some gooseberry wine from the same manufactory, bore 

 the same character, and this is also strictly applicable to most of the 

 grape wine manufactured in this country. It 'is a grape-juice-and-sugar 

 mixture, and is a pleasant drink, but unworthy of the name of "pure wine." 



John Bruce. — I wish to draw the attention of the Club to some singular 

 peculiarities of a newly discovered lake, called Mono lake, situated in the 

 neig-hborhood, or in the tract of the new silver diggings, that are said to 

 yield so abundantly, in that portion of California The following descrip- 

 tion I have received from my sons, who thus speak of it : 



" The lake is some six miles in extent, and without any external and 

 visible outlet. The water it contains flows from the circumference to the 

 centre, and there passes down a subterranean passage, where to, is as yet 

 unknown. One peculiarity of the water is, that a person wading in ^it 

 that is troubled with corns on their feet, it has the effect of loosening the 

 corns, and by a few such applications, will eradicate them. A person 

 wading in the water of this lake with boots on, it has the effect of reducing 

 the leather to resemble wet brown paper, and possessing no more strength 

 after the immersion." My sous say they "are under the impression the 

 water is alkaline in quality, as any clothing washed in it requires only a 

 simple rinsing to thoroughly cleanse them. Some things are discolored, or 

 rather lose their color in the operation." 



They have sent me in a letter, a substance, they call the nympha, of a 

 peculia fly that breeds in the water of Mono lake, being the only living 

 thing known to exist in it. This substance I submitted to, and divided 

 between two of the chemical members of this Institute, for their opinion 

 on it. This nympha covers the whole surface of the lake in great abundance ; 

 is gathered by the Indians in its reason, and is stored up by them as food 

 for winter, and must be nutritious in quality, for when tried out, is found 

 to yield seventy-Jive per cent of beautiful burning oil. Thousands of tops 

 of this material can be collected every season ; the whole lake being about 

 the consistence of Indian meal gruel, over its whole surface. 



Adjourned. IT. MEIGS, Secretary. 



April 16, 1860, 

 Present 50 members. Adrian Bergen, of Kings county, in the chair. 



THE KIRKLAND RASPBERRY. 



The Secretary read from The Cincinnatus, an article highly commenda- 

 tory of the Kirkland Raspberry. The fruit ripens there in June, and con- 

 tinues three weeks. It is supposed to be a seedling of the Antwerp, but 

 more hardy. 



Mr. Lawton, of New-Rochclle, stated that he had the above raspberry 

 in bearing, and that it bears good sized berries, of a red color, and good 

 flavor. 



