256 Transactions of the American Institute. ' 



certain, the most sure among all other varieties of wheat. It has not 

 a superior quality, for it sells a little lower than our tender varieties, 

 but, considering the quantity, the crops will fetch more money. 

 He has never seen it fail, while others of tender sort have been with- 

 ered and killed before maturity, during a warm and sultry season. It 

 withstands the sun of Northern Africa to the end, without flinching. 

 Therefore, he thinks it would be a good acquisition for the United 

 States, and worth while to try its adaptation in those parts of the 

 Union where wheat cannot succeed on account of too much heat. 

 The hard wheat is so called, because its straw is hard and stiff, being- 

 filled like a rush, and, hence, not hollow like other kinds, but the 

 grain is no harder than any other sorts ; its straw, being more sub- 

 stantial, permits it to stand up in places where others will lodge and 

 rot on the ground. Its heads are bearded, and, consequently, resist 

 the depredations of ants, when there are any, like in Africa. The 

 bread made therefrom is good, sweetish and nutritious, principally 

 in the form of biscuit, like it is done among the peasantry. But 

 bakers do not favor its flour for the reason that the fermentation is 

 not so lively as in other varieties. 



Siiobe's Apple Paeee. 

 The committee appointed to test a newly-invented machine for 

 paring, coring and slicing apples and other fruit, at one operation, by 

 James Shobe, of Cecil county, Md., the patentee, beg leave to report : 

 That the machine is strongly built, very simple in construction, pares 

 as rapidly as any ordinary apple parer, and at the same time takes 

 out the core and cuts the apple into four or eight pieces lengthwise. 

 The slices drop from the machine, as also the core. There is nothing 

 to do but to stick on the apple, set the paring knife into position, and 

 turn the crank a few times, and the work is done, and the machine is 

 ready for another apple. In our judgment it is a valuable machine, 

 and will prove a useful auxiliary to the housewives of America. The 

 work is done speedily and neatly, while the low price of the instru- 

 ment (two dollars and fifty cents) will make it a formidable rival to 

 those now in use. 



FRANK CURTIS, 

 J. B. LYMAN, 

 H. T. WILLIAMS, 



Committee. 



Adjourned. 



