Vegetable Gardening 349 



early vegetables or flowers. We often grow them slightly 

 beyond their seedling stage under forcing conditions, 

 using hot beds, cold frames (If 36), in-door window boxes, 

 or in garden flats (^ 15) that are kept in-doors in cool 

 weather and exposed to sunlight in fair weather. As the 

 seedlings grow larger, they may be replanted into small 

 pots, cans or boxes affording more space and allowed to 

 grow until the season for planting in the open arrives. 



514. Classes of Garden Crops. In studying the 

 cultural requirements and use of garden crops, we, may 

 for convenience divide them into a number of groups 

 according to their cultural requirements. In looking for 

 an explanation of why some crops thrive in some seasons 

 and not in others, or in some localities and not in others, 

 it will probably be found in a consideration of their 

 moisture and temperature requirements. 



Our mothers classify vegetables according to their use 

 and flavors. The following classification will help us to 

 group the vegetables according to the similarity of their 

 cultural requirements, and will help us in understanding 

 and applying the detailed cultural directions given in 

 gardener's manuals and to appreciate the intelligence that 

 is sometimes mistaken for skill in the gardener. 



515. Cool Season Vegetables, include plants that 

 are not injured by at least light frost. Some are not 

 injured by even light freezing temperatures of short 

 duration, and will thrive in moderately cool weather. 

 Crops belonging to this group may be planted in the open 

 early in the season. Some forms, like cabbage, cauli- 

 flower, collards, celery, etc., may be grown in the winter or 

 fall months in mild climates. We may subdivide this 

 group as follows : 



(a) Early Cool Season Vegetables are frost hardy, 



