256 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



grapes. The best brandy comes from an inferior wine ; but as yet, although 

 our American wines are inferior enough, we have never succeeded in mak- 

 ing good brandy. The Catawba grape will not make good brandy. 



Mr. Doughty, of New Jersey, said that those who have Concord vines 

 must understand that they will not bear manuring like the Delaware, 

 because they grow so rank and make so much wood. 



Prof. Mapes. — The Concord grape was preferred last season by our 

 Broadway fruiterers. One of them told me he paid fifteen cents per pound 

 for the Concord, while he purchased the Isabella for ten cents. 



Peach Borers. 



The Chairman inquired what he should do with the worms in the peach 

 trees. 



Dr. Trimble. — Dig them out and destroy them. 



Prof. Mapes. — That is too tedious, and entirely unnecessary, when they 

 can be killed so much easier with hot water poured from a tea-kettle spout 

 upon the bark where the holes are, which cooks the worms and never 

 injures the trees. 



]\Ir. A. L. Smith thought it very difficult to reach all the worms with hot 

 water, though he had never tried it, because he adopted a plan to keep 

 them out. He mixes fine muck and wood ashes into a mortar, and builds 

 a small mound, six to twelve inches high, around each tree, to remain 

 during the time when the eggs would be deposited, and in this way he has 

 kept his trees healthy for twenty years, using no manure but buckwheat 

 chaff and straw, which insects do not like to harbor in, and he gets a good 

 crop of fruit every year, and finds his ten acres of peach orchard the most 

 profitable upon his farm. 



Mr. Carpenter. — Sulphur is recommended as a remedy. A handful of 

 sulphur is placed round the collar of .the tree, and has given great results. 



Gas Lime. 



Mr. Van Antwerp. — What is the advantage of using gas lime as a man- 

 ure for top dressing grass land ? 



Prof. Mapes. — If the land required plaster there might be some advan- 

 tage from its use, but from my experience I find it requires ten years to 

 thoroughly change its character. 



Mr. Carpenter. — Will Prof. Mapes inform us of the effects of Peruvian 

 guano upon our land ? 



Prof. Mapes. — If Peruvian guano is treated with sulphuric acid, changing 

 the carbonate of ammonia into sulphate, you will find great advantages 

 from its use. Peruvian guano, if imperfectly applied, will impoverish the 

 soil; while if properly applied, it will be of advantage to the crop. 



•'The Preparation of Hotbeds" was adopted for discussion at the next 

 meeting. 



Adjourned. JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



