13-i THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



breadth of seed sown. In want of glasses, the bed 

 may be arched over with stakes, and covered with 

 mats; the seed, after being planted, will soon vegetate 

 and come up ; and when that is observed, in what- 

 ever way they are covered, let plenty of air be given 

 in the day, and if the weather is mild, a little at night, 

 so as to harden them sufficiently for planting out. 



If all has gone on well, and the plants, having 

 produced their leading shoots, are in good order 

 towards the latter end of May (no precise time can 

 be mentioned, as much depends on the weather), 

 they are to be planted out, either close under some 

 warm wall or on a south border. In either place 

 the ground should be well broke up, and wherever 

 the plants are set, if within a few inches of the wall, 

 or in lines along or across the border, drills should 

 be drawn to receive them : if there be more than one 

 row, about eighteen inches between each will be suf- 

 ficient. The ground being ready, the plants should 

 be carefully taken up from under the handglasses, 

 and with a garden trowel set about four or five 

 inches apart, and an inch or two deeper than they 

 were before in the seed-bed : at the same time, 

 should the weather or ground be dry, a little water 

 must be given, but not that taken immediately 

 from the pump or pond, for reasons given in a for- 

 mer part of the work ; as the chilliness of the water, 

 often given to tender plants in the early spring 

 months, is the cause of their perishing. Where 

 there are forcing-houses in work, water for such 

 purposes can always be kept in readiness. 



As the plants advance in growth, earth should be 

 drawn to their stems, and if the plants are in a 



