French Gardening or Intensive Cultivation 219 



being useful for open-air crops during the summer and autumn, the others 

 for cloche work in winter and spring. 



Seeds of both Cos and Cabbage varieties are sown at the end of 

 August or early in September under cloches, the quantity sown depending 

 of course upon the object in view. This first sowing may be made on 

 nicely prepared soil, or on old hotbeds having plenty of humus and a 

 spongy texture. To define the area for seed-sowing the imprint of a cloche 

 is made as many times on the surface as there are patches to be sown 

 within the circumference. Soon after the seed leaves are well developed 

 the seedlings are carefully transplanted under other cloches on soil already 

 nicely prepared for their reception. Either 2 or 2 J dozen seedlings are thus 

 pricked out under each cloche, as shown in the diagrams. 



13 14 15 16 17 18 



Two-and-a-half Dozen Seedlings under a Cloche Two Dozen Seedlings under a Cloche 



Fig. 529. Showing how Seedling Lettuces are Pricked out under Cloches 



Here, again, French and English methods are quite dissimilar. The 

 English grower waits until his seedlings have made a few large leaves and 

 have become somewhat drawn by overcrowding. Indeed, he dare not prick 

 out earlier unless he has some close frames and nice soil at hand, as the 

 tender seedlings would never stand the removal to the open ground. The 

 French grower, however, having cloches and frames always at his dis- 

 posal, as well as a nice soft spongy soil, can transplant the baby plants 

 with impunity, because he can protect them with glass, can keep the air 

 around them sufficiently humid, and can protect them from strong sunshine 

 or frost if need be. 



As about 1000 seeds of Lettuce can be sown under each cloche, it is 

 easy to estimate how many little seed beds are to be prepared at any given 

 time. 



Another point to be noted is that the French maraicher nearly always 

 uses his index finger instead of a dibber for pricking out seedlings, and in 

 this way can dispose of some thousands of plants in one day. 



It has already been pointed out that when the frames for Carrots 

 and Radishes have been sown the beds are cropped on the surface with 

 Cabbage Lettuces, these being dwarfer growing than the Cos varieties, 

 and quite near to the glass without actually touching it. About forty-nine 



