240 GARDEN GUIDE 



plants 4 in. apart each way, and slip the sashes down in all sunny 

 weather to get them inured to the air, and finally get them so hardened 

 that the stems will have a purplish hue instead of a delicate green- 

 The latter part of the month make the first sowing of Snap or String 

 Beans. The Black Valentine is the most hardy for this early crop. 

 Slight ridges running east and west should be made and the seed 

 planted on the South side to shelter them from cold winds. If frost 

 threatens take the hand garden plow and throw a furrow over the plants 

 till the cold passes. Early Beets can be sown early in the month 

 Prepare beds, preferably under glass sashes, for bedding the Sweet Po- 

 tatoes for the production of plants. A very light hotbed will answer 

 or they can be bedded under the sashes and the sashes kept closed 

 till sprouting shows and then give plenty of air in sunny weather. 

 The sashes can be removed from the January-sown Beets and used 

 for the Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes. The Beets are then thinned 

 and the thinnings transplanted. Sow early Turnip Radishes early in 

 the month or late February. Sow Egg Plant seed in hotbed. Make 

 first planting of garden Corn. The Norfolk Market Corn is better 

 than sugar Corn for the early planting. Plant Sugar Corn last of the 

 month. Sow Red Valentine Beans. Sow Early Horn Carrots. 

 Plant Horseradish root. 



APRIL 



Sweet Potatoes should be bedded in the upper South. Plant suc- 

 cession crops of garden Corn, such as Kendel's Giant, Country Gentle- 

 man and Stowell's Evergreen. Sow Onion seed very thickly in rows 

 to make sets for Fall planting. The white Pearl is good. Sow in 

 fairly fertile soil without fertilization as the sets should not grow larger 

 than a marble. Take the Tomato plants from the frames with 

 a trowel and a mass of earth and transplant into holes filled with water 

 and pull the dry soil over. If frost threatens after they are out turn the 

 plants over and cover with soil till the cold passes. In the garden, set 

 them in rows three feet apart and two feet in the rows and train the 

 single stems tied to stakes. They will be earlier and better in this 

 way. Sow Okra seed in rows three feet apart and thin the plants to 

 20 in. in the rows. Sow more String Beans for succession crop as soon 

 as the ones sown last are well up. Plant Muskmelons in well-manured 

 hills 6 ft. apart, and Watermelons in hills 8x10 ft. apart. Sow Parsley 

 early in the month. Peppers sown with the Tomatoes in February and 

 transplanted can be set out this month. For late Pickles sow seed in 

 a border of the Sweet Peppers and transplant later. Sow seed in open 

 ground for late crop of Tomatoes. Sow succession crops of Beans of 

 Bush or Snap varieties and plant Bush and Pole Lima Beans. Sow 

 Endive and Kohl-Rabi. Set succession of Summer Cabbages. Sow 



