THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 251 



the work of gathering, grading, and packing the crop their closest 

 personal attention and use only clean, attractive packages for han- 

 dling and shipping. 



The packages employed for handling the frame products are 

 generally the same as those used for marketing outdoor vegetables, 

 of the same kinds.. In a few instances a distinctive package has been 

 employed. The use of special shipping packages that would give the 

 frame-grown produce special recognition on the markets would 

 be a decided advantage to the grower. (F. B. 460.) 



SOIL AND FERTILIZERS. 



The greater portion of the work with frames is conducted on 

 light or sandy loam soils which are naturally well drained and 

 adapted to intensive trucking. The original soil is usually em- 

 ployed, but when necessary rich soil is hauled and placed in the 

 beds. The first essential is good drainage, and if the land is not 

 naturally well drained it should be tiled or provided with numerous 

 open ditches to carry off the water. The surface of the soil should 

 be graded and all depressions filled in and leveled. For best results 

 the land should be subjected to two or three years of preparation 

 by manuring and planting to leguminous crops. 



The presence of plenty of organic matter in the soil is very 

 important, especially where large quantities of commercial fertilizers 

 are to be used. This organic matter may be added in the form of 

 stable manure, but more satisfactory results will be obtained where 

 leguminous crops are included in the preparatory treatment. For 

 green manure nothing is better than cowpeas as a summer crop and 

 crimson clover- as a winter crop. The crimson clover should be 

 turned under about the time it comes into full bloom in the spring, 

 the land planted to cowpeas, and the resulting crop plowed under or 

 mowed for hay during the month of August in ample time to 

 prepare the land for frame work during the autumn. When 

 neavy crops of green manure are turned under it is essential that 

 lime be used to improve the mechanical condition and to sweeten the 

 soil; a dressing of 1,000 pounds to the acre should be sufficient. 



Large quantities of stable manure are used in growing crops 

 in frames, sometimes as much as 30 to 60 cartloads to the acre. 

 The manure is generally spread in a broad, flat pile to compost 

 before it is applied to the soil on which frames are to be located. 

 Where manure is employed for heating the beds it may afterwards 

 be mixed with the soil for the growing of subsequent crops. Poul- 

 try and sheep manure is excellent fertilizer for frame work, but the 

 quantity obtainable is very small. In the application of natural 

 manures of all kinds it is essential that the manure should be fine ; 

 that it be what is termed "short" manure. 



WATERING CROPS. 



To insure success in the cultivation of plants in frames it is 

 necessary to provide some means of applying water to the soil. 

 Occasionally the supply of water can be obtained from the system 

 of some city, but more often it must be pumped from a well or 

 stream and stored for use in an elevated tank. Watering is gen- 



