FEB.] THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 139 



or, if for cabbaging or heading, you may sow the white Silicia, 

 grand admiral, large Mogul, brown Dutch, or Malta cabbage lettuces, 

 all of which form good hard heads. For this purpose they must be 

 sown very thin, and when arrived at a due size be transplanted in 

 rows into the different borders, &c., as directed in March, leaving 

 a sufficient quantity to occupy the seed-bed, which will head earlier 

 than those that shall have been transplanted. 



If these be covered at night and in very unfavorable weather, 

 either with mats or boards, &c., it will greatly forward their growth. 



But in order to have a few in a more advanced state for trans- 

 planting, and also for early small salading, you may sow any of the 

 above kinds in a hot-bed, those for the latter purpose very thick, and 

 for the former pretty thin. The cos lettuces, not growing flat or in 

 a spreading manner, are peculiarly adapted for sowing in hot-beds at 

 this season ; but either of the kinds may be sown, and with due care 

 and proper thinning be brought to good and early perfection. 



Lettuces which have stood the winter closely planted in frames 

 should, about the end of this month, be thinned to about nine inches, 

 or, if expected to grow very large, a foot asunder. The plants which 

 are drawn out may be planted into other frames, or into warm bor- 

 ders where they can be well protected with mats or some suitable 

 covering, till they are inured by degrees to bear the open air ; but if 

 the weather is unfavorable and you have not a sufficiency of frames 

 to receive the plants, it will be better to defer this work till next 

 month, being particular to pick off all decayed leaves, and to stir 

 the earth a little about the roots. 



SOWING CAEROT SEED. 



When carrots are desired at an early season, some seed may be 

 sown in a slight hot-bed in the beginning or middle of this month. 

 Make this bed two and a half feet high, put on the frame, and cover 

 the bed with light dry earth six or eight inches deep ; sow the seed 

 thinly on the surface, and cover it about a quarter of an inch with 

 the same kind of earth. When the plants are up give them plenty 

 of air, and thin them as they advance in growth. Keep the glasses 

 well covered at night, and in extremely severe weather and in April 

 you may expect handsome roots. The early horn is best for this 

 purpose. 



This seed, if sown as above, towards the latter end of the month, 

 will succeed very well without the assistance of glass, if the bed is 

 carefully covered at night, and occasionally, as the weather may 

 happen to be severe, in the daytime, with garden mats, &c. You 

 may also about the end of the month sow a small quantity of carrot 

 seed, on a warm border of light, dry, rich earth, and, if the season 

 proves favorable they will succeed tolerably well, and be fit for use 

 at a very acceptable period, for the method of doing which see 

 March. 



