PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 85 



ponds witli my observations of the habits of that insect, which has been 

 such a great wheat destroyer, although itself so minute. I am sorry to 

 hear it has made a lodgment in Iowa. I know of no remedy that we can 

 advise the gentleman to apply to save the present crop. 



Dr. Underhill, of Croton Point. — There is no remedy for the present, but 

 tliere are several methods of preventing the ravages of an insect that nearly 

 drove wheat growing out of all the eastern States. Perhaps the best 

 remedy is to sow early, and let the wheat get a good start, when the egg 

 is deposited in the stalk. Then feed off" the field with cattle, and if there 

 are signs of the insect in April, feed off again. Horned cattle are better 

 than sheep, which are apt to bite too low and injure the crown of the root. 



John G. Bergen. — This insect was first discovered upon Long Island after 

 the ground had been occupied by the Hessian .troops, brought over by 

 Great Britain in the Revolutionary war, and it has existed there ever since, 

 though of late to a very limited extent, as it does not multiply rapidly in 

 anything but wheat, and that has not been much grown on the Island, and 

 since the wheat growers were first driven to abandon its cultivation by 

 this pest. Those who still grow wheat find the most effectual remedy in 

 sowing very late, for then- the wheat does not get sufficient growth to 

 enable the fly to deposit its egga in the stalk. 



Dr. Underhill— That will do upon the light, sandy lands of Long Island, 

 but it would not answer upon a stift" clay soil. There the feeding process 

 would be preferable. 



Solon Ptobinson. — It would never answer to recommend late sowing for 

 most of the wheat lands of Iowa and Illinois, because unless early sown 

 it is liable to be winter killed; and feeding in some wet seasons would be 

 bad, because the hoofs of the animals would poach up the clay and trample 

 the wheat all into the mud. If the Hessian fly once becomes established 

 in the Avest, I fear that it will drive winter wheat out of cultivation there 

 as certainly as it did here. 



The subject of the day was then called up. 



Mr. H. A. G^aff, of Brooklyn, a gentleman well acquainted with foreign 

 wines, having become satisfied that those of California are worthy of 

 attention, brought the subject before the Club. He produced six samples 

 of the vintage of 1858 and 1860, from the extensive wine vaults of Sanse- 

 vain & Brother, and Kohler & Froling, made from what are usually termed 

 " California grapes," and which ripen so perfectly in that climate that there 

 is no occasion to add cane sugar nor spirit to give the wine strength. 



Three of the samples are called Alizo wine, marked at $5, $6 and $8, 

 respectively, according to quality, per dozen bottles, as the price the 

 makers can afford to sell them at in New York, if there is a demand, and 

 probably if there should be any considerable demand these prices might be 

 reduced. We did not learn whether there is any stock of California wine 

 for sale in the city, beyond a small quantity sent to Mr. Graff as samples, 

 to see if there may be a demand. 



The sample No. 4, marked $8 a dozen, called Angelica, is undoubtedly 

 made from very ripe grapes, dried until almost fit to pack for raisins, 

 which gives a juice as rich as prepared cordials. It is doubtful if it would 

 sell in this market. 



