28 THE GARDENETTE 



plants are about two inches high, the author usu- 

 ally prepares three more flats which are placed 

 next to the hot air chamber, and the ones con- 

 taining the plants are placed on top of the new 

 ones, thus one machine will heat six flats, which 

 will grow 900 plants. During mild, sunny days, 

 the upper flats are removed to a sheltered place 

 through the day, and are returned to their posi- 

 tion above the later plantings at night. A frame 

 of twelve-inch boards fits outside the flats, and a 

 cover of double muslin screens protects the plants 

 during the night, or on cold, stormy days. The 

 machine may be placed in a warm room by a win- 

 dow, in an unused room, on a sheltered veranda, 

 or, after cold weather is over, it may be placed 

 in the garden, or out of doors anywhere. 



The hot air chamber furnishes ideal conditions 

 for sprouting seeds in effecting quick germina- 

 tion. 



SPKOUTING SEEDS 



Procure pieces of common burlap, each twelve 

 by twenty-four inches. Pour the seeds on one 

 end : fold the burlap from both sides : roll up and 

 fasten with a pin. Prepare a label giving name, 

 date, etc. Then into a pan containing half a pint 

 of warm but not hot water, drop three or four 

 drops of spirits of camphor. Now place the roll 

 containing the seeds in this water for twenty min- 

 utes. Press out lightly so there will be no drip- 

 ping; wrap in four or five thicknesses of old 

 newspaper, and place where the temperature is 

 regular and about seventy-five degrees. The hot 

 air chamber furnishes exactly these conditions. 



