390 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



soil and the bed is covered with a mulching of prairie ha'/ 

 until they begin to germinate, when it is removed and the, 

 soil between the rows is raked and weeds kept down. 



In cooler climates, like that of Long Island, the seeds 

 will germinate when planted an inch deep without mulch- 

 ing, but even there the soil is usually covered with burlap 

 while the seed is sprouting, to conserve moisture and to 

 keep the soil cooler. As growth progresses the tops are 

 clipped or pinched back to develop stocky plants, and 

 when small they are thinned so as not to crowd each other. 

 Usually the plants are set out for cropping at the West 

 about the middle of July for late fall and winter use, in 

 moist soil six inches apart in the rows, which are usually 

 laid out about four feet apart, where the crop is bleached 

 in the field. But the dwarf kinds, merely bleached by 

 slight mounding, are planted in rows three feet apart. 



The first growth is inclined to spread out over the 

 ground. To correct this habit, what is known as "hand- 

 ling" is practised. This is merely drawing up earth with 

 'the hands under the drooping stalks and pressing it firmly 

 to them as a support. In after-hoeing, earth is drawn 

 up until they are banked so as to hold the stalks upright. 

 This handling and banking is all the bleaching given to 

 the dwarf self-bleaching varieties, such as the White 

 Plume. 



For family use there is not much gain in planting the 

 large-growing varieties that require bleaching by high 

 banking with earth or boards. Such varieties as White 

 Plume and Golden Dwarf give the least trouble and are 

 not excelled in quality. 



In storing for late use the plants can be packed close 

 together in boxes, with the lower part of the stems and 

 roots covered with moist sand. These boxes are best kept 

 in a root-cave, but will do nearly as well in a cold, moist 



