PROCEEDINGS OP THE FARMERS' CLUB. 219 



snow falls very deep, but the land does not freeze but slightly, 

 owing to the snow falling early. Wheat, rye, oats, barley, peas, 

 beans, potatoes, and many other food-plants flourish well. Only 

 June, July and August are free from frost. The snow falls usu- 

 ally about the middle of November, and covers the ground so 

 that potatoes do not freeze when they grow. Mr. D. thinks this 

 city deeply interested in the Lake Superior region, not only on 

 account of its minerals, but its future agricultural products. 



EARLY GRAPES. 



Mr. Dougherty, of New Jersey, presented some Hartford Pro- 

 lific grapes, so Avell ripened as to be quite eatable. 



THE WILD CHERRY (cERASUS VIRGINIANa). 



"Wm. S. Carpenter presented a specimen of this fruit, greatly 

 improved by cultivation. He stated that such fruit is worth $5 

 a bushel at the present time in New York. 



THE JAPAN MELON. 



Mr. Carpenter showed specimens of this kind of muskmelons, 

 which he considers superior to all other. 



GREAT PRODUCTIVENESS OF FRUIT. 



Mr. Carpenter showed some branches of pears, which bore from 

 20 to 27 pears in a space of ten inches in length, almost as close 

 as ropes of onions. The production of fruit in the east part of 

 Westchester county is the most remarkable ever grown. Many 

 trees are breaking down with their enormous loads of fruit. 



FRUIT IN CENTRAL NEW YORK. 



Mr. Pardee stated that he had been traveling a good deal in 

 the interior of this State, and he found that the sayings and 

 doings of this club are proving of great advantage to the country. 

 He has no doubt that the cultivation of fruit has been largely 

 increased by what has been talked about here. The crop of fruit 

 of all sorts in Central New York is very large. One gentleman 

 was offered $800 an acre for five acres of grapes now growing, 

 which he refused, (ilirdling vines, or girding the limb by a twine, 

 is resorted to for the purpose of increasing the size of grapes. 

 The plum crop of Central and Western New York is very remark- 

 able this year, ilany orchards not having been touclied by the 

 curculio. 



LIGHTNING, AND RARNS DESTROYED BY IT. 



Mr. Gilbert stated the following fact lately published in regard 

 to lightning. A very heavy crash fell upon or over a house ad 



