132 . THE KITCHEN GARDEN. [FEB. 



When the plants begin to appear, raise the lights a little behind 

 every mild day, to admit fresh air to strengthen their growth : give 

 also occasional gentle waterings, continue the same care in, their ad- 

 vancing state, and support a proper heat in the bed ; they will thus 

 afford an early produce in April, &c. 



But where there is a hot-house you may raise early kidney or French 

 beans, generally with much less trouble and more certain success than 

 in hot-beds, as above. 



SMALL SALADING. 



Continue to raise in hot-beds a regular supply of small salading, 

 such as cresses, mustard, rape, radishes, lettuce, &c., as directed in 

 January, pages 28 and 29, which must be sown every eight or ten 

 days, in order to afford a proper succession ; for at this season such 

 are more acceptable, and to many persons more palatable, than at any 

 other period of the year. 



Towards the latter end of the month, in the middle States, and in 

 all parts to the southward, you may begin to sow lettuce, and the 

 other different kinds of small salading on warm well sheltered south 

 borders, especially if the great winter frosts have passed away. 



For this purpose dig the ground neatly, giving it an advantageous 

 slope towards the sun, rake the surface fine, and draw shallow drills 

 from north to south about three or four inches distant ; sow the seeds 

 therein, each sort separate, very thick, and earth them over not more 

 than a quarter of an inch deep. If the season proves favorable, you 

 may expect tolerable success ; but the more certain way would be to 

 cover these beds with frames and glasses, which would not only 

 forward them to perfection at an earlier period, but also protect them 

 from the various accidents incident to such early crops in unfavor- 

 able seasons. 



When these plants, both under cover and in the open ground, 

 begin to come up, they sometimes, by rising very thick, raise the 

 earth in a kind of cake upon their tops, which consequently retards 

 their growth ; they may be assisted by whisking the surface lightly 

 with your hands, &c., to separate the earth, after which, the plants 

 will rise regularly. 



When those coming up in the open ground happen to be attacked 

 with morning hoar frosts, and like to be a sunny mild day, if before 

 the sun rises full upon them you water them with fresh pump or well 

 water poured out of a watering-pot, with the head on, to wash off 

 the frosty rime, it will prevent their turning black and going off. 



CAULIFLOWER PLANTS. 



The beginning of this month plant your autumn sown cauliflowers 

 in hot-beds, to flower in April and May ; garden pits or frames con- 

 structed of stone is what is generally used and preferred now for 

 forcing instead of the wooden frames directed in page 18 : however, 

 where stone cannot conveniently be had wood will answer by being 

 regularly lined with fresh dung, as directed in page 25. Stone pits 



