148 



authors have been successful in the task which they setjthem- 



selves. 



Ralph C. Benedict. 



High School of Commerce, 

 New York City. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 



March ii, 1913 



The meeting of March 11, 1913, was held at the American 

 Museum of Natural History at 8:15 P.M. Dr. E. B. Southwick 

 presided. Ten persons were present. 



The minutes of February 26 were read and approved. The 

 announced scientific program consisted of a lecture on "Agri- 

 culture among the American Indians," by Dr. A. B. Stout. 



The subject was presented from the viewpoint of popular 

 economic botany. As an introduction, several views of typical 

 Indian mounds were shown and a general discussion given of 

 the extent of Indian life in America, especially in the area now 

 embraced by eastern United States. The point was made that 

 the so-called "mound-builders" were none other than the ances- 

 tors of the present Indians of the United States and that the 

 domestication of all endemic plants which were in cultivation in 

 America at the time of the discovery of the new world was the 

 result of Indian agriculture. Views were shown of Indian corn- 

 fields and garden beds as they appear today after having remained 

 undisturbed since the Indians raised the last crop on these fields. 

 The conspicuous hills of the former and the long parallel ridges 

 of the latter reveal the methods of planting of various field and 

 garden crops. The most important plants which were cultivated 

 by the American Indians were briefly described and illustrated 

 by lantern-slides, their uses given and mention made of their 

 importance in the agriculture of today. Some archeological 

 and historical data were given regarding the origin of these 

 plants and the extent to which they were cultivated. 



The principal plants thus considered were as follows: Indian 

 corn, the agaves, tobacco, potato, tomato, Jerusalem artichoke. 



