252 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Morceau is a good pear, when it can be had in perfection, but 

 that is very seldom. The tree is a miserable bearer. The Law- 

 rence pear originated near Flushing, and certainly, for this 

 locality, has no equal for winter, if well kept and finely ripened. 

 I hope this subject of fruit, how to grow it, and how to keep it, 

 will be continued next week — it is a very important question. 

 I have known some of the very best winter pears wasted, because 

 those who grew them did not know how to keep and ripen them. 

 In fact, they did not know their value. 



A CHANCE FOR AMERICAN INVENTORS. 



H. Meigs, the Secretary, said that the World's Fair, London, 

 1862, is to be an important event. 



The London Society of Arts with 350 affiliated societies, of 

 which Prince Albert is President, has obtained a subscription of 

 £350,000 sterling, to make the exhibition a perfect success. 

 There is a great chance for American ingenuity. 



We now request American inventors to give us these : The 

 greatly wanted Tiller of the land, the real Pulveriser. 



The heavy roller of steam plows cannot cross-plow. 



Let us have a rapid digger, forker, or spader, which will do all 

 that is wanted to make the earth mellow. 



I believe we can do it. The boast will be forgiven if we suc- 

 ceed — and we surely can. At least let our inventors try. 



We give this timely notice that our country may carry off the 

 immense reward and world fame of mechanical thorough tillage, 

 with a saving of time, corresponding with our harvest reapers, 

 without which this year we could hardly have got our millions of 

 breadstuff off our fields. In fact, the grain crop of 1860, could 

 not have been saved without the American Reaper. Now let us 

 have an American Steam Tiller — not a plow, but a machine to 

 pulverize the soil, one or two feet deep. 



Adjourned. HENRY MEIGS, Secretary. 



October 29, 1860. 



Present, 56 members. Rev. Joshua Weaver, of Westchester, 

 in the chair. 



The Secretary, Judge Meigs, read the following paper upon 

 national progress : 



AMERICAN PROGRESS AMERICAN MACHINE HARVESTERS. 



The immense breadth of land bearing grain in 1860, in our 



