40 Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 



lished in the third volume of the Annals of the Sericole Society, specially 

 instituted for the promotion of the culture of silk in France. 



As instruction is much wanted in this country on this particular sub- 

 ject, while the culture of silk engages Ihe'^eneral attention, Mr. Du Pon- 

 ceau expressed a hope that M. Ferrier's treatise would be translated and 

 published for the benefit of his fellow citizens. 



Mr. Du Ponceau further stated, that from the volume of Transactions 

 above cited, it appears that the English are making great exertions to in- 

 troduce the culture of cotton into India. Specimens of the best soils for 

 growing cotton in this country, particularly those of Georgia, have been 

 sent to the Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and analyzed by them. 

 The descriptions accompanying the specimens have not been found suffi- 

 ciently particular, nor have their analyses yet led to any decided conclu- 

 sions. They seem to think, that the abundance and fineness of good 

 cotton depend on the quantity of carbon in the soil, and the solubility of 

 that carbon. But with this theory they do not appear to be entirely satis- 

 fied. They find that all the American, the Mauritius, and the best Sin- 

 gapore soils, producing the finest cotton, contain a considerable per cent- 

 age of vegetable matter under the form of peat or lignite, in a state of 

 exceedingly minute division, and in many of them, some part of it is 

 readily soluble in cold water. They find, again, that the Indian soils 

 contain very little vegetable matter, and this wholly insoluble in water, 

 but that the best contain a far larger proportion of carbonate of lime, and 

 some of them the iron in a different state from the others. It would 

 seem, however, that the plant is somewhat indifferent about the iron; 

 yet, as it is not known what part the iron plays in soils, (which may in- 

 fluence their electricity as well as their tenacity and relations to moisture,) 

 they consider it a matter to be borne in mind and to be subjected to far- 

 ther inquiries. 



The culture of the vine in India, Mr. Du Ponceau added, appears also 

 to engage much of the attention of the Society; and, on the whole, the 

 useful arts and sciences seem to be cultivated in that country to a degree 

 which deserves to be particularly noticed. 



Mr. Walker stated the results of Prof Loomis's farther observations on 

 the subject of Galle's second comet, which Prof L. intends hereafter to 

 lay before the Society. He further stated, that Galle had discovered a 

 third comet, which was of great interest to the astronomer, as it was likely 

 to add another to the number of comets of known period. 



Mr. Walker mentioned the receipt of European observations of Galle's 

 second comet, as late as the 21st of February, and those of Prof Loomis 

 of the I8th and 19th of March. From these, he had selected the obser- 

 vations made January 25th and February 2Ist, at the Berlin Observatory, 

 and that of Prof. Loomis at the Hudson Observatory, on the 19th of 

 March, and had computed the elements of its orbit. 



