170 



VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



raised at a profit under this method. The selection and pre- 

 paration of the land for this purpose is the same as for a field 

 crop. The seed is sown inahotbed in rows thre2 inches apart, 

 or on a small scale a few plants may be raised in a box in 

 the window of the living room. The soil for this purpose 

 should be a somewhat sandy loam of only moderate quality, 

 and that which has no manure in it is more certain to grow 

 healthy plants. If very thick in the row. the plants must be 

 thinned out so as not to crowd one another too much but still 



Fig. 87. — Transplanting onions in the field, 

 they may be grown very thickly; as many as twelve to fifteen 

 plants to the inch of row is about right, and to secure this 

 amount about twice as many seeds will have to be sown to the 

 inch. Too much importance cannot be attached to the raising 

 of strong plants, since those that are weak and spindling are 

 very certain to fail. 



For a week or two previous to setting out the plants, they 

 should have plenty of fresh air. It is a good plan to re- 

 move the sashes entirely from the hotbeds except when there is 

 danger of frost, so that the plants maj become hardened off , as 

 otherwise they are liable to serious injury by freezing when 



