248 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Cowley — Our fence does not suffer from contraction or expan- 

 sion, because, you see it — it is composed of web or net work. 



Paul Stillman observed Stockton's wire fence in California — 

 several miles in length, is not good. The wire ends were at- 

 tached by thongs of raw-hide which caused some elasticity. 



Questions — " root crops, grapes and grape vines." The Club 

 adjourned. 



H. MEIGS, Sec'y. 



May 22, 1855. 



Present — Hon. Robert Swift Livingston, Paul Stillman of the 

 novelty works, Martin E. Thompson, Mr. Gray late from Cali- 

 fornia, Mr. Solon Robinson, Mr. Pepper, Mr. Vail, Mr. Gause, 

 Charles Oakley, Dr. Waterbury, Dr. Gardner, Dr. Watson of 

 Staten Island, Capt. -, Mr. Burr of Washington city. Secreta- 

 ries Leonard and Chambers, Toucey, Meyer, Orange Judd, Judge 

 Van Wyck, Judge Scoville, Joseph P. Simpson and others — about 

 75 in all. 



Hon. Judge R. S. Livingston in the chair. Henry Meigs, 

 Secretary. 



John M. Merrifield called the attention of the club to the fol- 

 lowing article : 



A NOTABLE HISTORICAL FACT. 



Wheat was first sown in North American colonies in 1602, on 

 the Elizabeth Islands, in Massachusetts, by Gosnold, at the time 

 he explored that coast. That was more than 250 years ago, and 

 since that time so great has been the increase of this cereal, that 

 in the year 1849, according to the census of 1850, the product 

 amounted to 100,503,899 bushels. Up to 1610, and perhaps 

 later, England supplied the colonies with the greater part of their 

 breadstuflfs. How changed is it now ! All Europe is looking to 

 us for bread. The cry of famine reaches us with the arrival of 

 every steamer, and we respond by sending cargo in the wake of 

 cargo from our abundance to save them from starvation. The 

 bread sent to the colonies in 1610 was not cast upon the waters 

 never more to return. Two hundred and forty-four years after- 

 wards it rolled back in a continuous stream to gladden the hearts 

 of half famished millions in England, France and Belgium. The 

 descendants of men originally lashed and scourged from their 

 shores, and forced to make their future habitations beneath the 

 shades of an almost boundless wilderness, bleak, desolate and 



