134 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



cloth, allowing each coat to dry before applying another, until they 

 become waterproof. 



To make waterproof cloth with less labor if considerable quan- 

 tity is wanted : Soften four and one-half ounces of glue in eight 

 and three-quarter pints of water, cold at first ; then dissolve in, say a 

 wash-boiler full (six gallons) of warm water, with two and one-half 

 ounces of hard soap; put in the cloth and boil for an hour, wring 

 and dry; then prepare a bath of a pound of alum and a pound of 

 salt to about five gallons of water, soak the prepared cloth in it 

 for a couple of hours, rinse with clear water and dry. One gallon 

 of the glue solution will soak about ten yards of cloth. This cloth 

 has been used in southern California for several years without 

 mildewing and it will hold water by the pailful. 



Handling of Seedlings. As has been hinted already, seedlings 

 grown by artificial heat or protection should be brought along by 

 such adjustment of heat moisture and fresh air that they are of 

 good healthy color and sturdy growth. ' It is common practice to 

 transplant the seedlings when quite small to other boxes of rather 

 rich soil, in which they are more widely spaced, and to continue the 

 growth with the heat for a time and then move the box to a cold 

 frame, giving them progressively more air and less protection until 

 they acquire a hardiness for the open air. In the farm garden these 

 every-day coddling arts of the plantsman are apt to be neglected 

 and it will answer very well to thin out the plants enough in the 

 original seed-boxes and to harden them by gradually increasing 

 the exposure in the declining heat of the hot-bed, and then under 

 slight shelter in the open air, until the time comes for their removal 

 to open ground. If, however, there is likely to be some time before 

 planting out, the transplanting from the seed-box to a protected 

 bed in the open air will allow the postponement of transplanting 

 to garden or field until a considerably later date. It is a mistake to 

 hold too long in the hot-bed or frame with the idea of gaining time 

 by having large plants to transplant. Good, sturdy plants, well 

 used to fresh air and the lower temperatures, will make the best 

 records in the open. 



Growing Plants in Separate Containers. Planting out small 

 seedlings in separate receptacles like berry baskets, paper flower 

 pots, etc., will secure strong development of single plants, if these 

 containers can be handled in a way to prevent too free circulation 

 of air around them and too great drying out. If this is not done, 



