THE HOME GARDEN 295 



condition during the growing season. In the home garden 

 the seeds are usually planted by hand by dropping them in 

 the hills or furrows previously prepared. After planting, the 

 soil should be firmed by pressing it down with the back of 

 the hoe. For the best and quickest results, seed should be 

 planted in freshly prepared ground. 



Advisability of the hotbed. Hotbeds are practically indis- 

 pensable in the making of a good vegetable garden. Their 

 greatest use is in starting plants for outdoor crops. By 

 their help one can have earlier crops in the case of some 

 vegetables, and, what is more important, he can grow some 

 crops which could not otherwise be grown, as long season 

 crops like eggplants and sweet potatoes, etc. They can also 

 be used for growing such crops as lettuce or radishes to full 

 maturity out of their season. 



Principles of successful transplanting". Transplanting, 

 while it must always be looked upon as more or less injurious 

 to the plants, is a necessity in vegetable gardening. It is 

 used principally .for inducing earliness; it also enables us 

 to grow such crops, for instance, as eggplants which other- 

 wise require too long a season. After getting a good start in 

 a hotbed or frame, plants may later be removed to freshly 

 worked soil, without having to battle with bad weather and 

 adverse soil conditions Avhen they can least endure them. 



The time of planting the seeds will depend altogether upon 

 the crop grown. The operations will be facilitated if the 

 seeds are sown in shallow flats, which may be carried about 

 as desired. When the plants have begun to show their first 

 pair of true leaves, they should be shifted; that is, taken up 



