G02 Tr A XS ACTIONS OF THE AmERICAX IxSTITUTE. 



Tiiglit and day to drive off squirrels and other destructive animals as 

 rats, porcupines, etc. 



Mode of Sowing Hybrid and Chixa Tea Seed. 



If the seed be Hybrid or China and it be intended to transplant 

 it, during the first season, it should be sown in rows four inches 

 apart, with a space of two inches between each seed ; but if the seed 

 be indigenous it sliould be sown five inches apart each way, which 

 will allow of the removal of plants without injury to the roots during 

 the second season. Great care must be taken not to sow the seed 

 deeper than one incli or one inch and a half, as that depth is quite 

 sufhcient for "all purposes. Immediately after the seed has been 

 sown, it should be watered and thickly covered over with straw so as 

 to retain the moisture and protect the beds from the sun's rays, nor 

 need it again be watered till the plants spring np, when the staw 

 ma}^ be thinned and the plants daily watered, j^o weeds should be 

 permitted at any time, and constant care and attention must be 

 bestowed on the seedlings till they attain sufficient strength to render 

 further anxiety unnecessary. Kecent experience has proved that the 

 erection of artificial shade as formerly practiced is not needed, but, 

 on the contrary, is highly deleterious to the young plant by render- 

 ing it too delicate and subjecting it, on removal of the shade, to too 

 sudden a change, while early exposure to the sun renders it hardy ; 

 light and air l)eing essentially necessary to its well being. 



Should the young seedlings be attacked by caterpillars, ants or 

 other small insects, they may be speedily exterminated by turning a 

 few domestic fowls into the nursery, as from close observation it has 

 been proved that they do no injury to the growing plants. 



Transplanting. 

 Transplanting should never be attempted UTitil the rains have 

 fairly set in ; and even then the indications of the weather must be 

 carefully watched, least any break should occur, as a few days 

 drouth would at this particular time scorch up and kill the plants. 

 Tlie best day for transplanting is that on which a drizzling rain is 

 falling, or even a dull cloudy day, with the prospect of further rain, 

 may answer; but if the seedlings have been removed from the nurs- 

 ery and a change should take place in the weather it would be better 

 to put them into a dark and cool room M'ith earth round their roots 

 than attempt to plant them out, and they have been knowji to 



