432 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
-all cases (save one) I have carefully shaded; using various 
materials, such as glass, boards, cloth, lath, brush, &c. Sowing 
In close frames and covering with glass, I think would be suc¬ 
cessful, if the necessary care were given; but that would be too 
troublesome. In changeable summer weather the frames would 
require attention every hour or two, and one day’s neglect 
would ruin a whole season’s work. Cloth is objectionable, as a 
shade, because it sags in the centre, and in case of a shower 
the water drips on the seed bed from a few points, beating 
down the soil, and making it too w T et in places, while some 
parts are too dry. The same objection will apply to boards; 
and they also obstruct the light too much. The cost is another 
item against the use of these materials. Lath make a very 
good and convenient shade, and when neatness of appearance 
is desirable, should be used in preference to anything else; but 
when looks are of less account, brush is equal to anything I 
have used; White Oak, which retains its leaves when dry, 
being preferred. It excludes the sun sufficiently, admits a free 
circulation of air, distributes the rain evenly on the seed bed, 
and is cheap. 
Last spring I made my seed beds ten feet wide, drove a row 
of small stakes along each side, and in the centre; to these 
stakes nailed six inch fence boards, which made a support for 
the brush and raised it sufficiently from the beds. Sowed the 
seed and raked it in lightly, then sifted on one-half inch of 
finely pulverized muck, to retain moisture and keep the soil 
from packing, and covered with brush. Sowed four pounds of 
seed, and started probably 100,000 plants, which have dimin¬ 
ished to, perhaps, 5000. A sorry failure, you will say, but I 
propose to try the same amount another spring, and in much 
the same way. I shall thoroughly pulverize the soil a little 
deeper, say eighteen inches, nail my boards to the stakes close 
to the ground, instead of raising them four inches, as last year. 
I shall sow as early as possible and be careful to have the 
muck which is sifted on the surface free from weed seed, which 
was not the case last year; and then, when all is complete, I 
shall recommend to mvself an extra amount of care and atten- 
%/ 
