Proceedings of the Farmers' Club, 331 



Another closely related genus deserves a notice in this connection ; it 

 is the nuphars or spatter dock. Of these we have four or five species. 

 They are excellent decoys for enthusiastic young men who desire to 

 show their gallantry and risk wetting their boots in gathering water 

 lilies for lady friends. The nujyhars are quite showy, but their flowers 

 possess a fetid odor more pronounced than agreeable. 



Dr. J. C. Y. Smith — It is a little curious that this lotus plant should 

 be found in this country and to have disappeared from Egypt, where 

 it used to grow abundantly. 



Pumpkin Seeds Bad for Poultry. 

 Mr. Washington Hills, Jr., <si Long Island, wrote as follows in rela- 

 tion to an inquiry in last week's Club report regarding the reason of 

 lameness in turkeys and other fowls : One cause of the disease com- 

 plained of is allowing turkeys to eat the seed of pumpkins. Now is 

 about the time farmers take in their corn and gather the pumpkins. 

 Almost invariably the cattle are treated with a meal of pumpkins, 

 and if the turkeys are around the barnyard they also have a meal of 

 the seeds, and, so sure as they do, so sure will they be lame. Some- 

 times it kills them. At any rate they do not get over it. They will 

 stay lean all the season. Nothing will fatten them. In fact, I have 

 known a whole flock affected in this way to be almost worthless, 

 and nothing else caused it but pumpkin seeds. Again, pumpkins are 

 not fit for cattle ; they will dry up the milk. 



Pears for Preserving. 



Mr. S. G. "Wright, Detroit, Mich., desired to be informed which is 

 the best variety or varieties of pears to be put up in cans. He has 

 several trees in his garden which he wishes to graft with the kind 

 most suitable. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller — A difficult question to answer, inasmuch as there 

 are many excellent sorts in cultivation. For canning purposes the 

 pear should have a fine-grained, white flesh. Among the early varie- 

 ties I would name the Bartlett, and for late Beurre d' Anjou and Vicar 

 of Winkfield. The latter is not considered a first-class pear in quality, 

 but the flesh is very fine and clear white, and retains this appearance 

 when preserved. Another good recommendation for this variety is 

 that tte trees thrive almost everywhere, and bear prodigious crops. 

 For preserving and cooking it has long been my favorite sort. 



Mr. H. T. Williams — The Lawrence is the pear most popular with 

 canners in Delaware. It grows in the southern and in the lower por- 



