176 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



made three or four leaves. At this stage, too, the plants should 

 be thinned out to lin. apart, and later, when some of the most 

 forward are ready, these may be removed for use and the re- 

 mainder left standing at 2in. to Sin. apart. Air must be given 

 whenever the weather is mild and water when the soil appears 

 dry. Ventilation must be gradually increased until by the 

 beginning of April the lights can be removed completely on 

 fine warm days, and by the middle of the month the frames 

 can be removed altogether, and the crop left standing in the 

 open. It is a good practice to work a little fine soil in amongst 

 the tops of the roots to prevent them becoming green. 



Good and early crops can also be obtained from cold frames. 

 The bed is made up and managed in a precisely similar way to 

 that on the hot-bed, except that no hot manure is used. The 

 frame should face south and the seed should not be sown before 

 February. This crop will come in just before the earliest one 

 from protected beds in the open. 



Early Crops from Protected Beds and Warm Borders. The 

 earliest open-air sowing may be made with one of the stump- 

 rooted varieties, such as the 

 Dutch Horn, any time after 

 the beginning of March, on 

 a warm dry border. The 

 soil should be in a dry and 

 crumbly condition or the seed 

 will not germinate well. If it 

 is wet and cold a change of 

 weather should be waited for, 

 or, to avoid delay, excellent 

 results may be obtained when 

 the bed is covered with 2in. 

 of prepared soil. If the soil 

 is fairly free of weeds sow 

 broadcast, or in drills 6in. 

 apart. Radishes may be 

 copyright, v. A. & co. sown with the Carrots. If 



Dutch Horn Carrot. ra j n threatens do not sow 



until the weather clears ; or cover the beds immediately after 

 sowing with mats, for if a heavy rain beats on the bed soon 



