OCT.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 505 



at such times, are screened from the direct rays of the sun, its 

 reflected heat comforts without injuring them. 



The beds should be made the width of your garden-frames, and 

 the plants set therein up to their leaves, in rows about three or 

 four inches distant every way. When thus transplanted they will 

 survive the winter much better than in the seed-beds ; for their 

 long stems being buried into the earth, are protected thereby from 

 alternate freezing and thawing and the effects of the various 

 changes of weather, than which there is nothing more injurious to 

 tender plants. The steins of these and cauliflower plants, are in- 

 jured before the foliage, and it is of importance to keep those tender 

 parts in an equal temperature, by which they will be preserved 

 much longer, even if in a frozen state, than if they were exposed 

 to alternate frost and heat. 



Select good plants from the seed-beds and, when planted, give 

 them a gentle watering to settle the earth about their roots, observ- 

 ing not to apply it too hastily, lest you wash the earth into their 

 hearts. 



Put on the frames immediately, and also the lights, but the glas- 

 ses arc now to be continued on, only for fcur or five days, till the 

 plants have taken fresh root, observing during that period to shade 

 the plants with mats or other protection from the mid-day sun ; 

 but when they have taken sufficient root, the lights are to be taken 

 totally off, and the plants left fully exposed till the setting in cf 

 smart frosts, except in very cold nights or during the prevalence 

 of cold heavy rains ; for it is of considerable moment to have the 

 plants tolerably hardy on the commencement of severe weather. 



But if they happen to be in a backward state, you should keep on 

 the glasses every night to encourage their growth. 



When you have not the convenience of glass, you may defend 

 the plants sufficiently in winter by means of boards and mats. 



Or, in the middle and southern states, you may plant some in a 

 warm border, to be defended in like manner as before directed for 

 lettuces ; and if the winter proves tolerably mild, they may happen 

 to stand it pretty well. But if at any time, particularly towards 

 the end of February, or early in March, you expose the plants to a 

 warm sun, while they, or the earth in which they stand are 

 in a frozen state, it will inevitably destroy them. 



You should in mild warm weather, when the sun is not power- 

 ful, give them an occasional airing, and the oftener this can be done 

 so that they are covered up again in due time the better. 



Similar precautions are to be used with plants in frames, that are 

 frozen, but such' as are not, will be improved by exposing them 

 occasionally, to as much air and sun as prudence may warrant) till 

 planted out finally in March, Sec. 



By pursuing this method you will have much earlier and larger 

 cabbages, than can be expected from plants sown in the early 

 spring months. 



3 T 



