CHAPTER XVI 



GROWING EARLY VEGETABLE PLANTS 

 UNDER GLASS 



211. Soil supply. Soils for growing early vegetable 

 plants should absorb water readily and dry quickly on the 

 surface. A sandy loam furnishes ideal conditions. Heav- 

 ier soils can be improved by the addition of sand and 

 rotten manure. Suitable soil for this work can often be found 

 in garden or field, or it may be prepared by composting. 

 The most convenient method of preparing soil for this 

 purpose is to select a suitable area and apply manure 

 freely. Spread the manure to the depth of 4 or 5 inches, 

 plow the land and harrow once or twice. This work 

 should be attended to in the spring as soon as the ground 

 is dry enough for plowing. After the manure is partially 

 decayed, plow and harrow again, and repeat these opera- 

 tions occasionally during the summer. The soil should 

 be in excellent condition for storage in the fall. 



Manure and sod, stacked in alternate layers of 4 to 6 

 inches deep, also make a soil of superior character for 

 starting early plants. When soil is prepared in this man- 

 ner, about a year is required for the thorough decay of 

 the materials composted. Shoveling the pile over a few 

 times during the latter part of the period of composting 

 helps to secure a fine and well-mixed soil. Whatever 

 soil is selected or prepared great care should be exer- 

 cised to avoid germs of troublesome diseases. For ex- 

 ample, soil for raising cabbage plants should never be 

 taken from a field where any plants of the cabbage 

 family have been recently grown. When dry enough to 

 handle without injuring the texture, it should be stored 



151 



