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New YorK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 23 
highest specific gravity, or, in case of oil bearing seeds, those of 
intermediate specific gravity, give the highest percentage of ger- 
mination. To some extent a correlation appears to exist also 
between the specific gravity of the seed and the vigor of the 
resulting plant. 
Differences in specific gravity are due either to differences in 
structure or differences in composition. If the differences in 
composition are not obscured by differences in structure, which 
they often are, the differing specific gravities to which they give 
rise are indexes to the quality of the seed. The report in Bul- 
letin 256 is based on only one season’s work. The literature on 
the subject is reviewed and preliminary observations are pre- 
sented. The subject is worthy of further investigation. 
Shading strawberries.—In order to study the practical value 
of the method of shading strawberries, experiments were carried 
on in 1902 and 1903 in three different localities in this State, the 
results of which are given in Bulletin 246. The materials used 
for shading were two grades of thin cheese cloth stretched about 
twenty inches above the plants. The cost of shading was at the 
rate of about $350 per acre. 
Records are given showing the temperature of the air and of 
the soil underneath the cloth and outside, cloudiness, evaporation, 
yields of fruit, etc. The temperature of the air and of the soil 
underneath the cloth was usually slightly higher than outside. 
There was also more moisture in the air and in the soil under- 
neath the cloth than outside, the covering diminishing the 
evaporation about one-half. Shading proved to be somewhat 
beneficial to the blossoms as a protection against frost. The shaded 
plants made more rapid growth of foliage and seemed more 
vigorous and thrifty, but shading appeared to slightly increase 
the susceptibility of the plants to leaf blight and mildew. Pol- 
lination appeared to be as complete underneath the covering as 
outside. 
In regard to yield, there was a considerable increase with the 
thinner grade of cloth, but a marked decrease with the heavier 
grade. Shading in some cases produced a considerably larger 
berry, more attractive in color, but somewhat softer, slightly 
less acid than those grown outside, also containing a smaller 
percentage of sugar. 
