NEW YORK FARMERS’ CLUB.—ERIE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 
265 
subject in full, with all the different points num¬ 
bered and explained. If we do anything less than 
this, we shall only be repeating what is already 
as well said in British periodicals as can be. For 
our own part, as the attention of British breeders 
is now particularly called to this subject, we would 
prefer first seeing a report from them. They have 
more knowledge and experience than we, and 
more time and wealth to bestow upon it; and 
.after seeing what is done in Great Britain, we 
shall be prepared to act more understandingly in 
our own country. We do not say that their crite¬ 
ria should be ours entirely; our climate and wants 
•demand something varying, perhaps, from any 
part of Europe ; and when we have seen what the 
science of Great Britain decides as constituting 
perfection, then we can adopt it with such modi¬ 
fications as shall be considered necessary for the 
different sections of America. 
NEW YORK FARMERS’ CLUB. 
The regular monthly meeting of this Club took 
place at the Pacific Hotel, on Tuesday, the 26th 
of September, General Johnson in the chair. Sev¬ 
eral of the members being absent, attending agri¬ 
cultural shows in the country, there was not so 
full an assemblage as usual. A desultory conver¬ 
sation ensued, and some specimens of fruits and 
grain of different kinds were shown. Hr. Field 
then read a paper on the beneficial effects of muck, 
as applied to Indian corn and other products the 
present season, on his farm in Dutchess county. We 
hope to be favored with this paper for our columns 
hereafter. Other communications were read on 
various subjects by Messrs. Dey, Meigs, and Wake- 
man. Those of the last-named gentleman we sub¬ 
join, and Mr. Meigs’ account of Mr. Maxwell’s farm 
shall appear in our next. 
Egyptian Corn.— T. B. Wakeman, presented 
a stalk of the Egyptian corn, bearing the ripe 
grain. It was deposited by Mr. James de Peyster, 
Long Island, with the American Institute. Mr. 
De Peyster has cultivated this kind of corn for 
several years; first, in Columbia county, since, on 
Long Island. He thinks it should be treated as 
Indian com, except planted in drills close together. 
Less attention is required than with Indian corn. 
It is not as much affected by frosts. His crop has 
never failed, but the heads he thinks have grown 
larger. His practice has been to apply a little 
ashes in raising it. He thinks on good ground 
one hundred bushels may be raised on an aere. 
Fowls are remarkably fond of it. He has made 
it into cakes, which were excellent. The stalks 
from Mr. De Peyster bear a plumper and larger 
grain, than any which have been shown at the 
Institute. It has been suggested that on experi¬ 
ment, it has been found, when cut for the purpose 
of feed for cattle, that it grows up again more 
rapidly than Indian corn, and appears to be less 
injured by being treated in this way. It was per¬ 
mitted to grow about two feet high before cutting. 
Mr. De Peyster has never made trial of it for feed, 
when cut green in this way. It is recommended 
that some one make the experiment by sowing it 
broad-cast, as is the practice with Indian corn, and 
learn the results. 
Its hardy character in resisting frosts, and its 
abundant yield, added to its ready growth after 
being cut for fodder, as a substitute for grass, are 
considerations that recommend it to be effectually 
tried by our farmers. 
South Abierican Potato. —The gentlemen of 
the club will remember, that about the middle of 
June last, a vegetable was shown here resembling 
a potato, said to have grown on a vine—one of 
five received by General Tallmadge from South 
Carolina. The original seed was obtained from 
South America, where it is said this vegetable is 
used for food. One of these potatoes, so called, 
was given to the gardener of P. S. Van Rensselaer, 
Esq., who planted it the 20th of June. On the 
16th of September I was at Mr. Van Rensselaer’s 
place, in Dutchess county, and examined it. It 
was growing, to all appearances, vigorously, and 
had attained about 15 feet height, and had been 
turned down, by Mr. Van Rensselaer’s direction, 
to enable the gardener to remove it into his green¬ 
house, in case it did not come to maturity before 
frost; and for that purpose it had been planted in 
a moveable base. The full length of the growth 
was at that time, 16th September, 18 feet, having 
grown about 3 feet after it was turned down. 
This potato resembles the Lima bean—heart- 
shaped leaf, joints about one foot apart, and a sprout 
from each joint. Small nodes had formed on the 
joints, indicating the commencement of the forma¬ 
tion of fruit, and a few small blossoms were dis¬ 
coverable at the top. 
The other four potatoes were distributed to 
Messrs. Lenox & Sheafe, of Dutchess county, Mr. 
Brill, Jersey city, and Samuel Stevens, Esq., of 
Astoria, Long Island. It is hoped we shall have 
full reports from each of these gentlemen at a fu¬ 
ture meeting of the club. 
On account of the Show of the American Insti¬ 
tute the past month, the Club has had no meeting, 
save a festive one for a dinner the 25th October. 
Other engagements prevented our being present 
on the occasion. We understand, however, that 
it was quite an intellectual feast, with the usual 
accompaniments of toasts and speeches. The 
regular meeting for the discussion of agricultural 
subjects will be resumed the present month. 
ERIE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SHOW. 
The Third Annual Show of the Erie County 
Agricultural Society, was held in the city of Buf¬ 
falo on Tuesday and Wednesday the 10th and 11th 
October, and we are indebted to the Commercial 
Advertiser for a full report of the doings thereof. 
