110 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



settle the soil, and when the moisture is ample, stopping the supply 

 will quickly allow the escape of the surplus. It may sometimes be 

 desirable to use a light mulch to protect the surface from baking 

 and give the seedlings a few days' more growth before it is neces- 

 sary to stir the surface. Seed starting in this way with the raised 

 beds and permanent ditches and the ridge irrigation system, all of 

 which have been described in the chapter on irrigation, is very satis- 

 factory. The application of it to various vegetables will be given 

 in the treatment of each. Where the seeds are to be started by 

 the furrow system on land that will draw water well laterally, the 

 seed can be sown in shallow trenches, leaving the seeds barely cov- 

 ered. Then irrigate by turning water into shallow irrigation trenches 

 made some twelve or fifteen feet apart. Let the water soak through 

 and completely moisten the surface until it has spread across all 

 the seed trenches, and until the little clods are broken down and 

 dissolved. The seeds are thus well covered and enabled to sprout 

 and come up before the soil is dried out. Subsequent cultivation 

 levels the ground, giving the seedlings sufficient depth of covering 

 and new furrows are plowed for later irrigations. This is only 

 one of many ways by which seeds can be started by irrigation. 



GROWTH FROM SEED UNDER COVER. 



This broad title is used to include about all that is done in 

 California except under the sky cover. In the chapters on the dif- 

 ferent vegetables, which will follow, there will be mentioned special 

 propagating methods employed with each, but in this place a few 

 protecting and promoting arrangements will be described for the 

 benefit of beginners in garden work. 



Seed Boxes. Seed boxes are the simplest arrangement for 

 starting seedlings for subsequent planting out and in most amateur 

 gardening in this climate they will comprise about all that is neces- 

 sary in the way of construction, because, as will be seen later, it is 

 very easy to give them a little bottom heat if the grower desires, but 

 they can be largely used without any. The chief advantages of 

 starting seedlings in boxes instead of the open ground are the ease 

 with which the seed boxes can be carried under protection from 

 cold, beating rains or frost, or protected from hot, drying winds or 

 too intense sun heat, and the convenience with which moisture con- 

 ditions can be regulated by covering and light sprinkling. 



There are no particular dimensions to be observed in making 

 seed boxes, except that they should not be too large to be easily 

 lifted and carried with their contents. The cases which enclose 

 two five-gallon cans of coal oil, sawn in two lengthwise so as to 

 make two wide, shallow boxes, serve an excellent purpose. It is 

 more convenient to have all the boxes of the same size than to use 

 odd sizes, in case it may be desired to group the boxes in a hot-bed 

 or otherwise for heat and covering. Be sure that the bottom has 

 ample openings for drainage either cracks or bored holes. The 



