132 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



possible, until it is within four inches from the top. Over this I scatter a 

 little clean straw. I then use small boxes, three inches deep, and fill them 

 nearly full with nicely prepared soil, and, after sowing my seed place each 

 box on the warm bed and cover each one with a pane of glass, in order to 

 retain moisture. It is necessary to remove the glass occasionally, for the 

 purpose of admitting fresh air. The main bed will soon commence to heat, 

 as well as the earth in the box. Great care must now be taken for a few 

 days, otherwise the contents of the boxes might become too warm, which 

 would cause the young plants to grow tall and spindling, thereby rendering 

 them almost worthless. This can be easily obviated by lifting the boxes and 

 placing them under an inch board, or a few bricks. On a cold night vary the 

 boards or bricks as occasion may require. In a tew days your plants will 

 be up nicely, the heat of the bed will gradually grow less, and the plants 

 will naturally favor themselves to the change. You will soon have what is 

 termed a "cold frame," and your plants will grow strong and stocky, pro- 

 viding care is taken to cover them during severe storms, as well as in cold 

 days and nights. When they are yet small, and commence to crowd each 

 other too much, transplant them to an open, sheltered, raised bed where 

 they can be cared for until ready to set out in permanent beds or rows. 



A Warm Heap. Another of Mr. Adams' arrangements to 

 give his seed boxes just as little heat as suits the purpose consists 

 is simply throwing up a heap of fresh horse manure, etc., under an 

 old shed, and placing the seed-boxes on top of the heap. Great care 

 must be taken for some days at least, as it becomes necessary to 

 raise the boxes sometimes by placing them on a piece of board or 

 bricks or to press them down a little into the heap, owing altogether 

 to the amount of heat generated. A little too much is worse than 

 not quite enough. After the plants get a few inches high they can 

 be transplanted into open beds somewhat sheltered from the north 

 winds, where they can remain until the spring weather fairly opens, 

 when they can be again removed to the garden. 



Watering. In growing plants with heat, moisture conditions 

 must be especially regarded. Too great moisture and "damping 

 off" of seedlings is largely prevented in common vegetable seedlings 

 by adequate ventilation which has already been emphasized in con- 

 nection with prevention of excessive heat. Too little moisture is 

 almost as dangerous as too much. There should be then ample 

 watering with a fine spray or sprinkle of water from which the chill 

 has been removed. Most of the time, water standing in the sun 

 for a day will be of satisfactory warmth, but if not, a little boiling 

 water from the kitchen will temper quite a volume of cold water 

 for use in the beds and frames. 



