GARDENING AND TRUCK FARMING. 287 



and quickly adjusted to sow seeds of any size from a turnip to 

 a bean, and is very easy to operate. 



In a large garden a good hand plow is indispensable. Under 

 certain conditions of soil, one man with one of these will do as 

 much good as six with hoes. On most soils a heavy rain 

 forms a crust and starts a crop of weeds unless the land is 

 stirred as soon as it is in good condition, and with a good hand 

 plow a man can run over an acre in about two hours, and loosen 

 the surface, while to do this with hoes in the same time would 

 require several men. If the surface is only mellowed an inch 

 deep it will kill the weeds that are just starting and prevent the 

 land from crusting and drying out. I have tried several hand- 

 plows, some rigged up with a dozen different tools to be used 

 on the same stock, but I find most of .these attachments of lit- 

 tle value, and if I were to choose one, it would be a narrow 

 shovel or bull-tongue, not to exceed two inches in width. Next 

 in value to this is a small share, something like that of a break- 

 ing plow, so attached that the earth can be turned away from 

 the plants. All the tools used on the hand-plow should be of 

 polished steel, and kept bright, and in using it, run shallow, so 

 that you can walk rapidly with little labor. More can be ac- 

 complished in a day by going over the ground twice with it 

 rapidly and easily than once slowly and laboriously. 



For starting early plants, a 

 hot-bed will be necessary. It 

 should always be located where 

 it will be protected from the 

 wind, and there should be 

 buildings or a high, tight, board 

 fence to the north and west of 

 it. I prefer one made above HOT-BED. 



ground, as shown in the cut, but if made early, it should be 

 banked up with manure to the top of the frame. The proper slope 

 for the sash can be had by making the rear board a foot wider than 

 the front. The manure should be hot and moist when put in the 

 bed, and should be thoroughly shaken apart, so as to contain no 

 lumps, and be evenly packed. This can be best done by using 



