THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 179 



WINTER FORCING 



" Cauliflowers are also frequently forced in win- 

 ter in greenhouses or in hotbeds. For forcing, the 

 seeds may be planted at any time in winter as 

 previously described. The plants should first be 

 transplanted 4 inches apart in a hotbed. Fre- 

 quently water and ventilate as much as is possible 

 without injury from cold weather. At first they 

 may be kept warm enough so the growth will be 

 moderately rapid, but the amount of ventilation 

 and exposure should be gradually increased so as 

 to promote a strong growth and short stems. 



" When the plants have reached as much de- 

 velopment as they can make without crowding 

 planted 4 inches apart, they should be permanently 

 transplanted to the larger hotbed. In this per- 

 manent planting they should be set 18 inches apart 

 each way, with about 8 inches of very rich soil 

 above the hotbed compost. Lettuce or radishes 

 can be grown as a catch crop between them. If 

 radishes are grown, the seeds should be sown in 

 drills 4 inches apart and in four or five weeks they 

 will be ready to be removed for market." 



CELERY 



" Celery seed should be sown out of doors as soon 

 as the soil is in first-class condition to work. The 

 seed bed should be thoroughly pulverized and raked 

 very finely to give the small seeds a chance to start. 

 Two or three square yards of ground," says Irving 

 C. Smith of Wisconsin, " is plenty to grow plants 

 for yourself and to give your friends. Don't be afraid 

 to cover the seed. There is an old threadbare theory 

 that celery seed will not come up if covered. This 



