218 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



and have been ci'edibly informed that trees have been twisted off at the 

 but and carried to considerable distances without touching the ground. 



" One year last summer, before harvest, my barometer stood in the early 

 morning at 29. t5, air very warm, and some cloudy. I told my folks the 

 signs of the weather were indicative of hail-storms ; that if we did not, others 

 would feel it that day. Towards noon a destructive storm passed over 

 parts ot Cumberland county, and another crossed parts of the State further 

 up. Last summer we were visited by another, so near as to affect us seri- 

 ously. In the vicinity of these storms the water falls in torrents. Why is 

 it the learned have never enlightened the farmers, and others interested, as 

 to the cause of these tornadoes — the why and wherefore ? 



" To test the humidity of the atmosphere, I had a strip of ash wood, half 

 an inch wide and four feet long — the length is to show more effect; this 

 was planed down to an even thickness of less than a quarter of an inch. 

 Short pieces of white pine, ecjual in length to the width of the first piece — 

 enough to cover its whole leiigth — were planed down to an equal* thickness 

 with the first piece; these were glued on across the first piece, close 

 together, covering its whole length. I attached a small block to one end 

 of the first piece, and fastened it with a screw, edgewise, on a door exposed 

 to the atmosphere, but not to the sun, so the lower end could vibrate with 

 freedom. The white pine, by expanding in wet weather and contracting in 

 dry weather across the grain of the long piece, has caused the lower end of 

 the st^ck to describe part of a circle eighteen inches long. It is sensitive 

 to the slightest change in the humidity or dryness of the atmosphere. It 

 need not cost over fifty cents anywhere. Any cabinet maker, or even a 

 farmer, may make one." 



Mr. Robinson. — I hope all farmers who have barometers will preserve 

 this letter, and applj'^ to their use the experiences of that old Jersey farmer. 



The subject of the day was then called up, viz: 



Beautifying our Country Homes. 



Mr. R. G. Pardee. — I have lately been traveling, and have seen so many 

 naked, barren, desolate looking homes, that I am glad that the Club have 

 adopted this question, and hope it will be continued until we shall be able 

 to awaken a great spirit of improvement, and teach the people that no 

 amount of money will make a costly house look cheerful and home-like, 

 without the inexpensive surroundings of the garden, lawn, shade trees, 

 fruit, shrubbery and flowers. About the adornment of home, the people 

 need continual instruction and prompting to act. It is a scandal to us as 

 a people to see how much this subject is neglected, and how unattractive 

 this neglect makes many countr}'^ and city houses. Tiiere is a great want 

 of a starting point — something for an example of what is proper in the way 

 of adornment. 



In my opinion the first step necessaiy, in all improvements around the 

 house, is a thorough system of under-dr.aining and subsoil stirring of the 

 earth. Then trees will grow. If carelcssl}' stuck into holes, with but little 

 preparation, what but a miserable result can be expected ? I lately' noticed 

 up the Harlem railroad a splendid and costly house, with a few maple- 

 stumps of trees planted in small holes in front, struggling to live under 



