proceedings of the farmers' club. 329 



Wisconsin Wild Fruit. 



Mr. Wm. R. Prince. — Mr. Eobinson read a letter last week from Mr. D. 

 K. Beal, about a wild fruit that he called a cherry. In this he is mistaken; 

 the fruit is a plum. It is the Prunus Pumila of Pursh, and Oorasus Pumila 

 of Torrey and Gray. The bush is the size of a currant bush, fruit larg-e 

 for a wild fruit, about the size of an Ox-heart cherry, flavor like choke- 

 cherr}', but not so astringent. It spreads by the roots, which send up 

 shoots wherever the soil covers them. They grow in very sandy soil. 



The Time to Sow Flax. 



Dr. Trimble. — In old times, when Pennsylvania farmers used to grow 

 a flax crop every year, they made a point of sowing it on Good Fri- 

 day, The rotation was generally corn upon sod, then oats, then flax. 

 They took care to make the soil very fine. 



Acclimation. 



Mr. Prince gave the following as his opinion upon this question: In this 

 regard there exist very erroneous views. No plant or animal has ever been 

 acclimated in the existing race by any change of location; such amelioration 

 attaches only to their progeny. Seminal reproduction can alone efiect any 

 such change, and then only gradually through succeeding generations. 

 This results from a great natural law, by which every animal, tree, or plant 

 partakes in a degree of the character of the climate and soil where it is 

 generated. 



A Barren Grape Vine. 



Mrs. Mott, of Potsdam, N. Y., says: " How shall I treat an old wild grape 

 vine ? It never has seen a knife; hangs full of blossoms every year, and 

 never has any fruit. Now, how shall I ti'eat it to make it bear ?" 



Mr. Robinson. — The vine is probably one of the barren sort, which 

 flower regularly and are very odorous, but never produce fruit. There are 

 many such wild vines. 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — The best thing to do with it is to graft it with 

 some approved variety, or dig it up and plant a young vine. 



Mr. Fuller.— Cut back to the lowest healthy spurs on the vine; if cut 

 back too much, in a single year the roots will decay. 



A French Jelly. 



Another lady wants further information about the method given at a for- 

 mer meeting of the Club: "Will you please tell us how long it mast be 

 stirred, and if any other kind but loaf sugar will answer ?" 



Several methods were suggested in reply to a letter presented by Mr. 

 Robinson, asking information. The one most approved was the following: 

 Pass the currants between rollers so as to burst each currant — then press 

 out the juice — place the juice, in a perfectly clean copper or brass vessel, 

 over the fire, heating slowly until it simmers, being careful not to permit 

 it to boil, or the aroma of the currant will be lost — skim until scum ceases 

 to rise, then pour the hot juice on to loaf sugar, broken, and held in a 



