15 



3d. That there is less danger of injury from sun-burning, and of a too 

 great accumulation of heat with the cloth than with glass, and con- 

 sequently less care is needed in using beds covered with this mate- 

 rial during the day. At night, however, more protection is needed 

 to keep out the cold. 

 In our experience the cloth sash is especially valuable for beds of 

 recently transplanted plants, as the light is less intense and the evapora- 

 tion less than with glass. 



The cloth frame may be made at a cost of about one-sixth that of 

 glass. 



The details of this experiment were carried out by Mr. W. M. Sheijardson, '88. 



PROTECTION OF PEACH BUDS FROM INJURY BY COLD. 



For the past five years no peach crop has been grown upon the Col- 

 lege farm. Last year a few buds survived the winter, and gave us a 

 few specimens of fruit. This spring a few buds only opened, but per- 

 haps rather more than last season. 



During the winter of 1887 the temperature reached 16 below 0° 

 once or twice. Last winter (1888) it ranged from 28° below 0° on the 

 low lands to 16° below 0° on higher lands at three separate times. 



With this failure of the crop for so many successive seasons, peach 

 growing has been a very discouraging business and some sure, cheap, 

 and easily applied protection for the fruit buds has become a positive 

 necessity if peach growing is to be a successful industry in New Eng- 

 land. 



To overcome this difficulty the following experiments have been 

 made during the past few years. 



Experiment No. 1. 



1st. In the fall of 1886 trees were laid down upon the ground and 

 covered with soil, * by first loosening the roots on one side and 

 carefully bending those on the other. 



2d. The branches were drawn together and tied, 1st without covering, 

 2d with a covering of pine boughs, 3d with a covering of strong 

 matting. The drawing of the branches together on young trees is 

 easily accomplished by two men standing close to the trees on 

 opposite sides and clasping hands around them and drawing them 

 in with a strong, steady pressure. Very large trees could not be 

 very easily drawn close enough to cover except at a great expense. 



* The wood was not well matured and many of the branches heated. The branches not 

 thus injured showed more iminjured buds than those protected in any other way. 



