AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 341 



he commenced operations his first crop of wheat was some seven 

 or eight bushels to the acre, on tlie plan of cultivation usual in 

 the neighborhood. He sent his soil north to have it analysed. 

 On the basis of the analysis he planned his operations, and "gen- 

 tlemen,'' said he, "I raised a larger crop of wheat than any other 

 man within the same distance of Washington. The assessors this 

 year valued my land at $70 an acre, calculating from the value 

 of the crop of wheat." These cases had come under his (Prof. 

 M.'s) supervision, and the preparation of manure which he re- 

 commended, after analyzing the soils, was a mixture of guano 

 with bones, dissolved by sulphuric acid. They had added sul- 

 phate of ammonia, which had cost them only as much as the 

 carting of barn-yard manure had usually cost. The soils of those 

 gentlemen contained rather more potash than usual. Euthe had 

 yet to find the first soil which is not capable of being benefited 

 by the addition of the super-phosphate of lime. 



John A. Brush, of Bowronville, near Williamsburgh, Long 

 Island, presented Harving apples from a tree imported by him 

 from Rotterdam, two years ago. The tree is very thrifty, and 

 has just commenced bearing at seven years of age. The apples 

 are of a deep, dark, red color, very tender and delicate flesh and 

 taste. At the proper season grafts can be obtained from it. 



Mr. Brush presented also what is commonly called the Indian 

 apple, since called, by some. Lady's Tomato; grows wild, size of 

 a small cherry, round, yellowish green; seed like tomato; taste 

 sweet. Each tomato is wrapped in withered petals. 



Philo S. Mills, Esq., of New- York, presented a very large tas- 

 sel from the sugar cane of the West Indies. 



Addington D. Fiye explained the specimens of sea weed pre- 

 sented by him as being designated in algology by the term Lami- 

 naria. It is one of the most important of the sea weeds for 

 manure. It is covered on one side thickly with pure white sugar 

 and soda! 



The careful observation and selection of alga made by Mr. Frye 

 in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans are known to and acknow- 

 ledged by the Smithsonian Institution and others. 



Prof. Mapes — From theory and practice recommended deep 

 tillage. He gave the rationale of the tillage of wheat. 



Mr. Lawton said : I have been induced to present this speci- 

 men of fruit to the Farmers' Club as an annual tribute, because 

 in pursuing the legitimate objects of the association, they have 

 widely circulated an account of the plant, and endorsed my state- 



