176 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



Seeding is in cold-frames in the South and in hot beds 

 in the North. The soil for the bed is often made sterile by 

 burning some brush over it just before the time of planting. 

 Seeds are sown after the soil is hi fine condition. For a bed 

 10 by 50 feet use about one ounce of seed, or one tablespoon- 

 ful. This may furnish plants enough for about five acres, 

 when transplanted. Cover the seeds lightly by tramping, 

 rolling or raking. Cloth may be used to cover the beds, but 

 glass is used in the cold regions. About six weeks should be 

 allowed for the growth in beds. 



Transplanting is not done until all danger of frost is 

 over and the field soil is warm and 

 mellow. The rows are placed three 

 to four feet apart and the plants a 

 little closer in the rows; or they may 

 be in rows both ways for ease of 

 tillage. The transplanting may be 

 either by hand or by machine as with 

 early cabbage plants (Fig. 89a). 



Care. The crop is given very clean 

 culture during its growth. The large 

 plant. (Dunham Co.) horn-worms, if abundant, must be killed 

 by spraying with a poison, arsenate of lead or Paris green; 

 but if not abundant they are picked off by hand. When the 

 plants are large the suckers are removed, and the tops are 

 cut to prevent flowering and seeding. Priming is the re- 

 moval of the lower leaves which are apt to be injured by the 



Harvesting begins when the leaves are ripe enough to 

 cure. The skilful grower determines this by the color and the 

 "feel" when folded in the fingers. Usually the whole plant 

 is cut near the ground and the stem split to slip on a lath, 

 after wilting. The laths, each with several plants hanging 

 from it, are hauled to the barns or sheds and hung in open 

 tiers for curing. In some sections and with some types of 



