STARTING THE GARDEN IN THE HOUSE. 29 



On February 28th I cut up a few choice po- 

 tatoes and placed the pieces in soil in a window-box 

 by a south-east window in a room up-stairs where 

 there was no fire. On very cold nights the box was 

 placed on the floor near the chimney and covered 

 with a newspaper. On April i6th the plants, now six 

 inches high, were transplanted to a sunny corner in 

 the garden, and the first potatoes were sent to the 

 table on June 27th. 



Lettuce was planted on March 7th, and set out in 

 the garden on April 3rd, and the first heads eaten 

 June nth. Tomatoes with me were a failure, owing 

 to damping off at the time of the blizzard in March. 

 Still, plants from seed planted March 8th made good 

 plants, and would have been set out in the garden in 

 May, had it not been for an accidental upsetting of 

 the box that compelled me to buy plants of the near- 

 est florist. I did enough, however, to prove that 

 tomato plants can be raised in the house without the 

 slightest trouble. Among other things, I found that 

 peas can be forced in the house by sowing in boxes 

 the last week in February, and transplanting to the 

 ground when about four inches high. The crop 

 from these transplanted peas came in about three 

 days before peas planted in the ground, as early as 

 the weather permitted. The gain was slight, yet in a 

 favorable season I think it would be even better and 

 would pay to do, if you want extra early peas. The 

 plants were set out quickly and with no particular 

 pains, and not one died. 



Not having any material for a hot-bed or even 

 glass for a cold-frame, I made a frame on the south 

 side of the house protected from the north-winds, and 

 for sash used frames made of two old screen doors, 

 covered with a heavy grade of protective cloth. 

 Under this frame I forwarded potatoes, cabbage, 



