covering. At the same time a hot bed was made, the seed 

 sown and the bed covered with cheese cloth. From these 

 beds the seed soon srerminated, and in ten days from 

 the time of sowing some of the plants could be seen. 

 The cold spell of weather, which commenced March 19th, 

 w^hen ice to the thickness of a quarter of an inch waS' 

 formed, destroyed most of the plants in the open air beds 

 during germination, those which were protected under 

 the covering of cheese cloth in the hot bed lared much- 

 better, and while large numbers were killed by the freeze, 

 the proportion was much less than in the open beds, and 

 it was from the hot beds that plants were raised for plant- 

 ing the experimental grounds. . 



April 7th, other seed were sown for late plants for 

 replanting ; these Avere principally of the Cuban varieties 

 obtained from the Florida station; no plants of any con- 

 sequence were raised from these seed. It was demonstra- 

 ted from the experiments made in the raising of tobacco 

 plants, that the young plants were easily atiected by cold 

 and quickly killed by freezing weather in this climate, in 

 fact, seemed to be aflected sooner in this respect than in 

 many localities in the old tobacco raising States. To- 

 avoid this difficulty, it is advisable, when practicable, to 

 raise the plants under covered beds, in preference to open 

 air beds. 



Another important discovery was made in raising plants- 

 on the Station, viz : That the flea beetle, commonly called 

 tobacco fly in the old tobacco States, seems to be abundant 

 in this section, attacking the plants soon after they come 

 up, and in uncovered beds, destroying the plants unless 

 insecticides were prompt!}' applied. It was further ascer- 

 tained that the plants under canvass made a more rapid 

 growth and presented a healthier appearance, and were 

 ready for transplanting much earlier than those in the 

 open air or uncovered beds. 



