74 Cultuj'c of the Egg-Plant. 



died. Eighteen were placed in a nice box with pasteboard partitions, 

 and set where they could grow finely : but these, too, soon ran their race ; 

 and, on the iSth of April, all the remov^ed plants were dead. The remain- 

 ing tenants of the box were now few, but healthy ; and I was very careful, 

 at last, not to disturb them. Finally, on the ist of May, when they had 

 acquired six leaves and a vigorous appearance, they were placed in small 

 flower-pots, and transferred to a spent hot-bed. 



Having more seed, when the hot bed was made on the 9th of March, I 

 caused one row to be sown, and treated the plants like the tomatoes and 

 peppers around them until the ist of May, when these plants also were 

 set in the spent hot-bed, four inches apart, but not in flower-pots. Care 

 was taken not to force on the plants too rapidly, but to gradually harden 

 them by daily exposure to the air. After the 25th of May, the sash was 

 removed entirely, night and day, except in very bad weather ; and, on the 

 2d of June, I set out in the open ground all the plants that remained (about 

 twenty-five), at least half of which were of those started in the hot-bed. 

 In regard to size, the difference was marked : the plants from the kitchen- 

 box were only about three inches high ; while tliose from the hot-bed were 

 six or eight, furnished with spines strong and stout. All, however, are 

 better plants than those set out last year ; and I anticipate a satisfactory 

 yield of fruit. I used a combination of bone-flour and Pacific guano freely 

 in the hot-bed ; and purpose to use it still, or liquid manures in substitu- 

 tution, while the plants are growing. 



Let me now, as the result of my experiments, suggest what I consider 

 the best mode of treatment for the egg-plant, which grows readily enough 

 if its peculiarities are attended to. Its early roots form very slowly ; and 

 an injury to thfm is much more serious than to most other plants. Re- 

 moval before the plant has established its roots, and fairly started into vig- 

 orous life, is death. A deep, rich, thoroughly-pulverized soil, constantly 

 kept stirred, is essential to its productiveness. Thoroughly understood, 

 and its wants supplied, it grows and fruits with wonderful vigor and 

 rapidity. 



Make a hot-bed specially for eggplants and red-peppers, whose habits 

 are very similar. Make it deep, and supply a liberal quantity of dry leaves 

 to render the heat moderate, uniform, and continuous. 'I'he loth of March 



