PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 259 



China lost the power of making roast beef by having too many- 

 people. She could raise mountains of rice, and that feeds her. 



Centuries to come ought not to bring us to bare vegetable 

 food, John Bull no longer eats roast beef, and what is eaten by 

 the rich is too fat to be wholesome Not one in ten can afford to 

 buy it. Does half New York eat it ? It is very costly, Scot- 

 land and Ireland do not. 



I see enormous droves of hogs daily entering our city. Shall 

 we have to study Deuteronomy on pork-eating? Is it wholesome ? 



Poultr}^ is readily raised. But what do we pay in our market? 

 Eighteen cents per pound ! It can be afforded by reasonable 

 management at six cents J 



Division of labor proves the grand source of supply. That is 

 the only way by which the supply of silk is had ! A million 

 cottages or small farms? Silk or poultry! 



LIGHTNING, 



Letter from Robert Wilson, Keene, N. H. : 



Keene, N. H., Aug. 21, 1860—3 p. m. 



As I have dabbled in lightning rods a good deal for the past 

 thirty years, permit me to give my experience for what it is 

 worth. 



Question 1. Does a rod possess power to attract electricity 

 from the ground to the highest point, or only that part above the 

 building ? Answer. All parts attract alike ; but as the cloud is 

 usually above the building the portion nearest to it attracts the 

 most strongly. 



Question 2. What might be the rule in placing points as to 

 their distance apart ? Answer. The more points the better, as 

 the}^ draw out the electricity from the cloud the more rapidly, 

 and pass off to the ground. 



Question 3. The idea is prevalent that the rod will protect a 

 circumference three times its height above the roof? Answer. 

 There is no certain criterion about it, as, if the rods are large, 

 the points plenty, the connection to the ground perfect, and what 

 is almost absolutely necessary also, that the lower end of the 

 rod shall be continued down to water, no cloud, be it ever so 

 heavily charged, but will be discharged down the rods safely and 

 quietly. 



Answer to question 4. As electricity passes on the surface of 

 the metal, the larger rod will convey it off the most rapidly. 



