528 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



habit of covering mine with hay, straw, sedge, moss, and have 

 been successful with ray crops, but thick mulching is apt to 

 destroy the plants. Forest leaves I consider better than straw 

 or hay, but the leaves must be kept in place with brush. One 

 of my neighbors, who grew a large crop of turnips, mulched his 

 strawberries with the tops. These plants seemed in excellent 

 order this spring. 



John G. Bergen, of Long Island, said that he could not under- 

 stand why the green turnip leaves s]]ould have proved better 

 than anyining else, unless it is upon the same principle that we 

 observe in several other cases where green plants are the best 

 manure. This is the case particularly with the grape-vine, its 

 own green boughs being the best of all fertilizers. 



As to covering strawberries, he said, I observed the other day 

 in Mr. Fuller's garden, that those left uncovered were in as good 

 condition as those covered, except not quite so forward. The 

 •winter before the last many strawberry plants were winter killed, 

 and I observed that mostly, where they were covered. This 

 spring I observe that strawberries look very well, and equally so, 

 as a general thing, whether covered or not. 



The Chairman said that, in all his experience, he had not been 

 able to see enough advantage to pay for covering. 



Dr. Trimble.— -I protect my strawberry plants by putting well- 

 rotted horse stable manure around the plants in the fall, and 

 raking it off in the spring. 



Wm. S. Carpenter. — I should like to have it all raked off, as it 

 "is the worst sort of manure for strawberries. 



INQUIRY CONCERNING INDIGENOUS AND UNCULTIVATED PLANTS. 



Mr. L. Masquerier. — I would inquire of the Club what notice 

 has been taken of the following indigenous plants of our country: 



Has any experiments been made upon the rosin weed, or com- 

 pass plant (Siphinra) that grows so abundantly on the prairies 

 of the west, as to whether its copious resinous juice can be a 

 useful auxilliary to that of the pine tree, and be to it as the 

 sugar cane is to the maple tree ? 



Is the water or Indian rice of Minnesota cultivated, and why 

 may it not become as abundant a crop in the lake region of the 

 north as the common rice plant is in the salt meadows of the 

 south ? 



Is there any attempt made to improve, by cultivation, the 



