AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 423 



only li'l- Hops on the new system were very strong in the vine, 

 full of hops, and measured 20 feet high, while those on the old 

 plan were only 14 feet high; two plants of grown potatoes, in 

 earth, on the new system, yielded 22 pounds 6 ounces, while the 

 same number on the old plan weighed only 14^ pounds. Two 

 plants of ash-leaf kidneys, grown in one foot of sand, from Mr. 

 Collier's sand rock, on the new system, yielded 10| pounds, old 

 system 5 pounds. One potato grown in this garden last year and 

 planted this year, on the new systeni, produced 101 line potatoes, 

 weighing together 24 pounds; one of ihese was 1 pound 3 oz.,and 

 was grown, in eight inches of earth only. The beet root, peas, 

 clover, Italian rye grass, rhubarb, &c., grown on the new system, 

 greatly contrasted with those on the old plan. 



This underground manuring is thus tried : remove the soil and 

 make a water tight pavement — drain pipes communicate with it, 

 a raised rim of bricks on edge, surrounds the spot and rises a lit- 

 tle above the soil, which is thrown in to the depth of about 18 

 inches; liquid manure is forced into the bottom of the beds once 

 or twice a week, stands there a short time and then drained off. 



The mangold wurtzel thus giving at the rate of sixty-nine tons 

 per acre. Cows fed on the rye grass on this plan, gave seven 

 quarts, on the old plan, six. The beds were 100 feet square. 



JYote by H. Meigs. — Deep manuring has long been known and 

 practised by the most intelligent cultivators. All vegetables 

 form their bodies, branches, leaves and fruit by an ascending force. 

 All those elements which form vegetables, we call organic; and 

 they will not descend even in sand. The sand within a few inches 

 of the bottom of sinks, privies, &c., is free from taint; the mine- 

 ral salts descend, but no organic matter. 



The Secretary, Henry Meigs, then read an interesting and valu- 

 able description of the different kinds of gum and resin used in 

 commerce. 



Gum, properly so called, is used in large quantities in the arts. 

 It is generally distinguished into soluble gum or gum arable, 

 which readily and perfectly dissolves in water, forming a clear 

 mucilage, and cherry tree gum, or gum tragacanth and those dif- 

 ficultly soluble kinds of gum, which, though they soften easily, 

 do not ftjrm mucilage readily. Gum is extensively used in fin- 

 ishing and giving luster to crapes, silks, goods, &c., by calico 

 printers, shoemakers and in other trades. 



One Liverpool firm miported in three years Gum Senegal to 

 the value of ^500,000 or $2,500,000. Gums to the value of 3^ 



