240 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



The tobacco is mucli hurt by an earth worm and a caterpillar. 

 Thunder storms severe. 



In May, 1686, on my return to England, off the banks of New- 

 foundland, at 100 leagues from shore, we saw several prodigious 

 floating islands of ice — no less our wonder than our terror, for 

 they were very dangerous. One was a league long, and as high 

 as our mast (vessel of 250 tons) the snow drove to and fro upon 

 it, as upon a large plain. There was a great flock of small 

 black divers, not much bigger than a fieldfare came to us a little 

 before, but all of them left us and betook themselves to this 

 island of ice — we saw, as I remember, nigh thirty of these islands 

 of ice. 



There were neither horses, bulls, cows, sheep or swine in the 

 country before the coming of the English, as I have heard and 

 believe. 



Mr. Solon Robinson read some passages from a letter written 

 to him by Mr. Durand of Derby, Connecticut, in which he doubts 

 the new ideas of Messrs. Mapes, Waring and others, in agricul- 

 ture. 



Prof. Mapes said that Mr. D. reminds of the singular fact that 

 many of our worthy fellow citizens who always stay on their 

 farms and never see any new thing, continue still to vote for 

 General Washington for President ! 



Mr. Meigs called attention to young Waring's plow, weighing 

 one hundred and ninety pounds ! What a power for deep tillage. 



Mr. Bergen said that he went down twelve inches with a plow 

 of half that size and weight. 



Mr. Field of Brooklyn — During the last fifteen years, instead 

 of learning and striving to improve cultivation, we have multi- 

 tudes of men, and public papers of one sort or other, doubting 

 from doubt to doubt, and finally doubting to doubt. 



Prof. Mapes — In our clubs we should never allow contradic- 

 tion — get out all the facts. That is, suppose a member irom be- 

 low Canal street, in Broadway, should inform the club of a heavy 

 fall of snow there which was brown! Another member above Ca- 

 nal street may state that the snow there is all white! 



The Chairman called up tlie subject of transplanting. 



Prof. Mapes directed attention to the place near the surface of 

 the ground, where the peach grub is to be sought for in the trans- 

 plants. Trim their roots before you set them in then- places — 

 shorten in the heads — Downing did successfully for years — you 

 get a better looking head and more thrifty bearer. 



