290 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



"Resolved, That stock raising, as at present pursued by us, is a losing, 

 instead of a paying business, and that this loss results from our fencing. 



"Resolved, That general fencing is not a necessary part or condition of 

 prairie farming, but an expenditure without compensation, and, therefore, 

 ought to be abandoned." 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — I move that this Club approve these resolves, and 

 that they be laid upon the table for future discussion. 



This was unanimously agreed to. 



New Jersey Tobacco. 



Prof. Mapes exhibited specimens of tobacco grow^n by Mr. Mulford, at 

 Orange, New Jersey, of a very fine quality for cigar wrappers, and dis- 

 tributed a^uantity of seed for experiment in other sections of the State. 



Mulching Strawberries. 



Dr. Parker, of Ithaca, N. Y., says: 



"The most approved plan here is to cultivate with no mulch, hoeing once 

 a month, or otherwise stirring the soil, and with free use of stable manure 

 on our richest clay soils, for the Wilson and its numerous and better 

 flavored seedlings, so far as the latter have been tried. 



" But, gentlemen and ladies of the Club, when, as farmers and farmers' 

 wives, you speak to the brothers and sisters of the farm of the whole land, 

 it is necessary to recollect that the spade, the hoe and the hand rakes are 

 tools that we farmers out in the country do not appreciate or use very 

 well. Hence we need a culture of the strawberry that dispenses with 

 these. 



" Please tell all ' country folks ' that the great secret of the strawberry 

 culture is to cut ofif all runners, leaving not one in the bearing beds or 

 grounds. Not half ' of ns in the country' know that. And that he who ia 

 too indolent to cut off runners better let strawberries alone." 



Sending Plants by Mail. 



Dr. Parker. — Last year I dug up 150 Wilson plants just as the leaves 

 began to open. Cut off long roots and the young green leaves; packed in 

 oiled paper; sent them 256 miles by mail, at one cent per ounce. They 

 were set out, and bore three pints of strawberries. 



Wild Fruits of Minnesota. 



' Mr. Solon Robinson read a very interesting ctjmmunication upon this 

 subject from Mr. Alfred Churchill, which was listened to with marked 

 attention: 



" Kaneville, Kane Co., III., March 11, 1863. 



" Herewith I send you a pound of Northern (wild) rice, which was 

 gathered in Minnesota by the Chippewa Indians, and sent me by my 

 daughter, she knowing that I was very partial to it while there. 



" She obtains it from the Indians in considerable quantities in the fall, 

 using what she wishes, and selling to them again in the spring, receiving 

 sugar and furs in exchange. 



