394 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



more dirt may be tlirown on, until the whole thickness is twelve 

 inches, which will be sufficient for the severest weather. Carrots, 

 beets, and ruta bagas may be kept the same way. 



Mr. Disturnell made some observations on the vegetation of 

 New-Zealand. Originally ferns and wild hogs were the chief 

 articles in that country, and both are now enormously in- 

 creased in prevalency. What are the cu'cumstances that deter- 

 mine any development of special forms of vegetable or animal 

 life? Captain Cook had stated he saw there no animals larger 

 than rats. 



A member observed he had heard of animals that worried and 

 ate up the missionaries in New-Zealand. [A laugh.] 



A member observed that cannibals were now much less addicted 

 than formerly, to eating missionaries. 



Thomas W. Field, of Brooklyn, who is a successful cultivator 

 of pears, and fertilizer of poor land, said that upon this point he 

 would take issue. He knew the value of muck, swamp mud, or 

 peat. He knew and contended that digging muck was a profita- 

 ble business. He says that the best muck-beds are always to be 

 found in the vicinity of the poorest land. He instanced Long 

 Island — the upland a bed of sand, the lowland a bed of muck. 

 The peat is almost pure carbon. He had found but three per 

 cent, of ashes in burning. It may be treated with potash, or 

 mixed with stable manure. He had found a great benefit in the 

 use of guano, but it did not answer a good purpose on the same 

 land year after year without an addition of vegetable matter; and 

 he had found peat, treated with potash, the best application that 

 he had ever made. Then, a little guano made good crops. He 

 thought the best manure for sandy land was pulverized clay. It 

 is a great mistake to apply manure in a coarse state. One of the 

 best axioms for a farmer would be : use small quantities of ma- 

 nure, very fine, and well mixed into the soil. 



The Secretary said the last observation of Mr. Field was an 

 exceedingly valuable one. 



Mr. Meigs then referred to some proceedings which this Asso- 

 ciation has taken, prompting the American Government to obtain 

 exclusive i)ossession of a certain barren guano island. He stated 

 that the American Government had, in consequence, sent out a 

 frigate to take possession of that island, and that something fur- 

 ther would be heard on the return of the vessel. Of course, the 

 precise latitude and longitude of this uninhabited heap of fructi- 

 fying treasure is known only to certain parties. 



