422 TRANSACTICNS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



whom spoke highly of its virtues. A gentleman in Darien, Con- 

 necticut, had also applied it successfully. 



The Chairman enquired whether it were true that the remedy 

 was of no effect in case it rained. 



Mr. A. P. Cumings explained that in the cases where the 

 application had been successful there had been no rain. It 

 however appeared to him that in case of rain the composition 

 would have to be applied repeatedly. 



Mr. Pardee enquired how many years the gentleman had used 

 the remedy. 



Mr. A. P. Cumings replied that he had used it for eight years, 

 with success, except the first year when there was no manifesta- 

 tion of the insect at all. 



Dr. Trimble thought this was a most important subject to the 

 farmer, second only to that of manures. He had not only sum- 

 mered with the curculio ; he had wintered with them also, and 

 he could therefore speak with some knowledge. 



SEED OF THE TREES FURNISHING PERUVIAN BARK. 



Mr. Lawton said that a package of seed of the Chincona or 

 Peruvian bark had been sent to this country by the United States 

 Minister to Peru. They had been deposited with the American 

 Institute and were now passed over to the club. If there were 

 no persons better able to take care of them, he would move that 

 they be given to Mr. Buchanan of this city, a member of the 

 society, to be carefully tended and reared. The club was anxious 

 about their safety, from their extreme rarity and the fact that 

 their Minister in Peru had gone to considerable trouble in pro- 

 curing them. 



On motion of Mr. Pardee, it was resolved that the seeds be 

 divided between Messrs. Buchanan and Bridgman. 



THE POTATO DISEASE. 



Mr. Lawton called attention to an article in the London " Mark 

 Lane Express " on the pototo disease, showing that it had its 

 origin in the operations of a minute fungus which propagates 

 with astonishing rapidity. Experiments had consequently been 

 made by planting the potato in double rows instead of single, on 

 level ground and with considerable space between the rows. 

 The earth was then embanked so as to cause the rain to run off 

 the hills. A neighbor accidentally did the same thing by throwing 



