300 SEEDING AND PLANTING 



cultivators of the type of the Planet Jr. which can be adjusted 

 for deep or shallow cultivation, are useful in cultivating narrow 

 rows running lengthwise of the beds (Fig. 73). When the drills 

 run crosswise of narrow beds the ordinary garden hoes or special 

 nursery hoes are used in the cultivation. The author has found 

 the Spitzenberg wheel hoe 1 rapid and effective in working the 

 soil between the rows and keeping it free from weeds. It is 

 made in varying widths to conform with the spacing of the drills 

 (Fig. 74). 



When the seedbeds are sown broadcast and when the drills are 

 spaced at intervals of 3 inches or less the ordinary methods of 

 cultivation which loosen the soil are impractical, and hand weed- 

 ing is the only cultivation practiced. The weeds are thrown into 

 the paths as they are removed from the beds and later carted to 

 the compost pile. The paths are worked periodically with a 

 Dutch hoe or scraper and the weeds removed with as little dis- 

 turbance of the soil as possible. 



35. Autumn Treatment of Seedbeds. Broadleaved species 

 are usually left unprotected in the seedbeds over winter, except 

 in regions where they are likely to be thrown by the frost. When 

 protected they are covered with a light mulch of leaves or straw. 



Except in regions that experience little frost coniferous seedbeds 

 are usually covered the first winter. When uncovered, the alter- 

 nate freezing and thawing of the surface soil forces the small plants 

 out of the ground and seriously injures or destroys them. The 

 shade cover should be removed in the early autumn after growth 

 has ceased in order that the seedlings may harden their wood for 

 the coming winter. This is particularly important in regions 

 having a short growing season or when the seedbeds have been 

 sown late. The following methods are practiced in protecting 

 coniferous seedbeds during the first winter: 



a. Mulching with leaves, hay, or straw. 



b. Covering with burlap. 



A mulch of leaves, hay, or straw is very effective in preventing 

 coniferous seedlings from being thrown by the frost. It should 

 be applied late in the autumn. The brush, lath screens, or other 

 cover used to protect the beds from the sun during the summer 

 should be placed over the mulch to hold it in place (Fig. 65). It 



1 Spitzenberg, G. K.: Die Spitzenberg'schen Kulturgerathe. 2. Aufl., S. 

 32. Berlin, 1898. 



