Reports of Local Societies. 32? 



window where they can get the sunshine, even so you may have 

 some plants. Be sure and not leave them too thick, — twenty-five 

 good plants in each box are much better than one hundred poor, 

 crowded, puny things, that will require half the summer to get 

 started, and the other half to get ready for use. 



The latter part of April is generally as early as potatoes should 

 be put in the ground, even for the early crop. Generally by the 

 10th or loth of May it is safe to plant sweet corn; although if the 

 weather should be wet and cold, as it sometimes is at that season^ 

 it is better to wait a few days longer rather than have the seed 

 rotted in the ground, or so injured that it may never recover. I 

 find that if we plant the Early Minnesota, the Crosby, and Stowell's 

 Evergreen ai; the same time, they will follow each other and keep 

 up a continuous supply, and then plant a little more of the Ever- 

 green from the 1st to the 10th of June, and you will have a supply 

 until frost comes. 



Tomatoes, peppers and egg-plants should not be set out in the 

 open ground until it is well warmed, and danger of even light frosts 

 is past, unless you are prepared to protect them during the cool 

 nights, and then they will sometimes become so chilled, even with- 

 out frost, that all the first sets will fall from the vines. Melons are 

 also very sensitive to cold. For some years past we have practiced 

 a plan with vines, that I have never seen on any other ground, and 

 I think is not common, although some others doubtless follow the 

 same plan, or possibly something better. We make the melon 

 hills, drop the seeds, and cover them. Then we take a box made 

 of boards six inches wide, and six by eight inches square on the 

 outside; pu\ it down over the seeds, and with a broad hoe haul the 

 earth up around the outside of the box, and press it down with the 

 blade of the hoe until it is sufficiently firm to remain in its position 

 after the box is taken out. We place the box with the long way 

 to the north and south, and make the earth about one inch higher 

 on the north end of' it than it is on the south end. After taking 

 out the box, a light of eight by ten glass is placed on the top of the 

 earth, and we have a miniature cold frame, and a good one at that» 

 The seeds will soon come up, and by the time it would be safe to 

 plant them in the open ground, you may have nice plants all ready 

 to commence making vines. When it has become thoroughly 

 warm and settled summer, haul the earth away from the hills, and 



