in hotbeds, and some of the plants produced were transplanted to cold 

 frames and hotbeds before they were set out in the field. In 1893 a 

 striking difference was noticed between plants set out from the original 

 hotbed and those transplanted to the cold frame prior to setting out. 

 The plants taken to the field from the cold frame were stalkier, stronger, 

 and grew more rapidly than those set out from the first seed bed, and 

 they were not disturbed very much by being transplanted, but readily 

 established themselves in their new location. The plants taken directly 

 from the hotbed to the field were much slower in taking root and many 

 of them had to be replaced. 



In 1897 plants were transplanted to a second hotbed before setting 

 them out in the field. The results showed that this practice gave stalki- 

 ness and vigor to the plants and materially reduced the number lost in 

 transplanting to the field. This method is recommended for eastern 

 Ontario and the Province of Quebec. 



A vast amount of experience has of course been obtained in all of 

 the tobacco districts in this practical matter of the seed bed. The old 

 practice of growing plants in protected areas in the forest has been 

 very generally superseded by using plant cloth for covering or by hot- 

 bed sash, or even by starting the plants in greenhouses. 



In certain districts considerable trouble and loss have been experi- 

 enced from certain fungous diseases. To prevent these, the soil used 

 for the plant bed has been sterilized with boiling water, hot stones, 

 or, preferably, with steam under high pressure. The method of 

 steaming is quite feasible where there is a power plant from which 

 steam can be obtained and is to be recommended where fungous dis- 

 eases give any serious trouble in the plant bed. 



Further investigations along this line are needed, both to ascertain 

 to what extent injuries of this kind are felt and the cost of sterilizing 

 the soil under the different methods which are used in horticultural 

 work. 



Further investigations are also needed in the line of protection 

 against insects both above and below ground. Also investigations are 

 necessary on methods of treating the plants and preparing them for 

 the field. There are questions on the treatment of the plants in the 

 seed bed, such as the matter of watering, which should be carefully 

 considered; also the very important subject of the kind of soil best 

 adapted — whether it should be mixed with manures and fertilizers, 

 what kinds, and to what extent. The production of a vigorous, well- 

 formed plant for setting out is a subject which deserves the most care- 

 ful consideration. 



The size, specific weight, and condition of ripeness of the seed, as 

 well as the method of planting, have a very important bearing upon 

 the crop, as horticulturists have shown with a number of crops. 



