PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 105 



may buy such plants and enjoy them while in bloom, even if we 

 do not succeed afterward. We may sometimes make a selection 

 while in bloom that we should never become acquainted with if we 

 waited to buy and grow the plants till they bloomed in our own 

 gardens. If there is enjoyment in buying these evanescent 

 things, let us have the enjoyment while we may. It is well to 

 tell us why we fail to reproduce the same kind of flowers. 



Mr. Roberts had remarked a species of naked worm feeding on 

 the ailanthus. 



Mr. Carpenter. — Our old fashioned hairy caterpillar has partially 

 disappeared. 



Mr. Meigs. — Science applied to agriculture is of vast value, 

 but the weather governs, and so do such unknown causes as 

 potato rot, which like cholera acts without one idea of its true 

 character being yet elicited ! One hill of corn never yet yielded 

 any two stalks alike, anymore than two blades of grass ! From 

 seed time to harvest, the farmer knows not what a day can bring 

 forth on his farm.' JYo two square yards on a farm are equally 

 suited to all plants I I found in mine a place peculiarly adapted 

 to each plant. When I finally discovered a place for my celery 

 nursery — the. plants grew four times better than before. It was 

 in partial shade. The north side of fence, house, barn, and 

 where the plants could receive morning and evening sun, but 

 never noonday sun. 



Subject for next meeting, "Spring planting and fruits." 



Adjourned to May 7. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



May 1, 1860. 



Present 60 membei^ — Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter in the chair. 



Judge Meigs. — In 1670, Long Island is described by Denton and 

 others as then being a natural garden, visited by parties (now call- 

 ed picnics) to enjoy its wild fruits and flowers. Strawberries grew 

 there all over it in profuse abundance, and several kinds of grapes 

 in every direction, and excellent too. This was the first Finland 

 (land of the grape vine) visited by the Northmen ages ago. The 

 historian Vanderdonk, of Antwerp, in 1650, mentions it. The 

 whole country on this island and about New York as full of many 

 kinds of grapes of excellent and lovely character. 



Verazzono, who was here nearly 400 years ago, said that he 

 found the trees hung with grape vines as they are in Lombardy ; 



