PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 339 



No form is complete without a garden of sufficient size to grow 

 a variety of vegetables and small fruits for the use of the family, 

 and when properly managed, it will furnish a large supply for the 

 table throughout the season. In order to sfct the full bencht of 

 our favorite vegetables, a succession of plantings must be made. 

 When the first crop of peas is well up a second planthig should be 

 made. This may be repeated several times with success. Early, 

 medium and late beets should be planted at different times to fur- 

 nish a succession for the table. Sweet corn is not only a luxury, 

 but it is nutritious and healthful. It should be planted every two 

 weeks from the first of May to the first of July, which will furnish 

 a supply of green corn from July to November. 



Hot-beds. 

 Every farmer should early in I\Iarch make a hot-bed, which is 

 indispensable to the wants of his family. Early plants, tomatoes 

 and other kinds of vegetables, may be brought forward in the hot- 

 bed several weeks in advance of those started in the open border. 

 I prepare a hot-house in the following manner : The earth is exca- 

 vated to the depth of two and a half feet, four feet wide and six 

 feet long, which will be large enough to furnish a good stock of 

 plants for the use of an ordinary sized family. Place around the 

 top of the excavation a board frame six inches high on one side 

 and fifteen inches on the other. Set the frame so that the slope 

 will incline to the south. When this is done, fill the pit within 

 six inches of the top of the ground with unfermontcd horse 

 manure, leaves from the woods, or spent hops from the brewery, 

 which must be well trodden down. Then put on the top about 

 six inches of finely-pulverized soil, rake down smoothly, put on 

 the sashes, and your hotrbed is completed. Some plant the seeds 

 immediately — others prefer to wait until heat has been generated, 

 which usually takes place in the course of two or three days. My 

 practice has been for several years to plant the same day, with the 

 following: varieties of seeds : one row four feet long, runnino; north 

 and south, with two or three varieties of tomatoes, sticking n small 

 stake, Avith the name written on it, at the head of each variety ; 

 allow ten inches space, and make another row for early cabbage 

 and lettuce — a variety of lettuce called Ice Drumhead is one of the 

 best, which should be transplanted to the open border. In the 

 third row I plant peppers and egg-plant—large Cull-nose is the 



