— 
112 ANNUAL REPORT. 
loves plants enough to care for them well, they seem endowed with character, 
sentiment, individuality, and there is a subtle something goes from the person 
through the fingers—and they grow! You don't believe this? I do. Why 
not? Our bodies are made of the dust ofthe earth; our souls mstinct with the 
breath of life from God. After all how little we know of the inscrutable 
processes of plant nutrition, the mysteries of vegetation. ‘‘No man can find out 
the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”’ *‘Great things and 
unsearchable, marvellous things without number.’’ Though a wise man think 
to know it, yet shall he not be able.” 
Hortense SHARE. 
Rosemount, Dec. 28th, 1880. 
At the conclusion of Miss Share’s paper, a vote of thanks was 
tendered and the paper ordered on file for publication. 
Mrs. L. E. P. Sprague was elected an honorary member of the 
society. 
DISCUSSION. 
The Winter Protection of Plants. 
Mr. Greenman stated that, as a general rule, all grapes and 
strawberries needed winter protection. 
Mr. Peffer said that it did not matter so much what the cover- 
ing was, if loose or porous in its character, but urged strongly 
against too deep covering. 
Mr. Tibbits covers strawberries with clean straw after the ground 
is frozen, but prefers to cover grape vines with earth. He said 
that raspberries should be partially covered. Had saved his Tur- 
neas and Black Caps by heavy fall mulching. He had covered 
strawberries after the snow had fallen, but was careful not to cover 
too deep. i 
Mr. McHenry cited a case in which the vines had been entirely 
killed by a covering of straw after snow had fallen. 
Mr. Sias had covered his strawberries with sorgho bagasse as an 
experiment, but thought it would all have to be raked off in the 
spring. 
Mr. Tibbits would mow strawberry beds July 10th, and as soon 
as dry*burn the surface to kill grass and weeds. 
Mr. Emery reported that Mr. Cook burned his strawberry fields 
over in spring. 
Mr. McHenry stated that they were injured by the process. 
Mr. Gibbs thought it a dangerous experiment. 
Mr. Tibbits would not burn the fields im spring. 
