242 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



with a view to work out this very improvement. A pound of eggs ranges 

 from 1 to 14, by count, as sold in this city. But, after all, even if sold by 

 the pound, as I contend that they should be, as well as all other farm pro- 

 duce, the question rests upon the cost of production. How much corn will 

 make a pound of meat, or a pound of eggs? and are large fowls really 

 more profitable than small ones, and are large eggs richer or more valuable 

 than small ones by the pound? We know they are by the dozen. 



The Rev. Mr. Weaver, of Fordham, inquired if the Club could recommend 

 the Spanish breed of fowls? In his opinion they are very tender, and do 

 not usually lay well in winter. 



Mr. Carpenter confirmed this opinion, and thought the Polands much 

 preferable. 



Early Samaritan Potatoes. 



Mr. Simeon Allen, East Chatham, N. Y., presented some specimens of 

 this potato; he claims that this is one of the earliest potatoes known, and 

 that potatoes could be dug in eight weeks after the tops are visible. No 

 rot has shown itself after fifteen years' experience. 



Mr. Solon Robinson.— ^I think the potato is identical with the one grown 

 in Connecticut for nearly half a century, known there as the English white, 

 but was not considei'ed a very good one. 



Tomatoes. 



The Secretary read a letter from Mr. Joseph Gaskell, Oconee Station, 

 Illinois, asking the Club to name the best early tomato, or one that will 

 ripen before frost in Illinois and Wisconsin. 



Mr.- Wm. S. Carpenter. — The earliest sort of tomatoes grown about here 

 are medium sized, smooth skin, and very poor quality, nothing like as good 

 as the Feejee or Lester, which are identical. The only way to get early 

 fruit is to grow early plants. 



Prof. Mapcs. — The market gardeners not only grqw early plants in hot- 

 beds, but they get early fruit by pruning off all the tops and branches, so 

 that the plant grows stiff and upright, and as it has but few to support, it 

 is able to ripen all the fruit, and earlier than it would if all the fruit was 

 left upon the vines. 



The Chairman. — It is a question whether trimming of tomato plants on a 

 large scale, will pa}' for the expense. To produce early tomatoes, the seed 

 should be sown in a hot-bed in February; when they are about three inches 

 high, they should be trans]3lanted into another bed about four inches apart, 

 and in May transferred to the open ground. Location has a great deal to 

 do with early tomatoes. I have known tomatoes planted in a well shelter- 

 ed field, where they had the full influence of the sun, ripen at least 10 days 

 before those planted in a more exposed situation. 



Does Freezing Spoil Apples. 



Rev. Mr. Weaver presented some specimens of Spitzenberg and Glori 

 Mundi apples, which had been stored in a box that stood out doors through 

 our coldest weather and frozen solid. Yet they were now as sound, and of 

 as good flavor as though they had been kept in a cellar. This is an im- 



