66 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



Lima beans, squashes, okra, and of fruits the apple and 

 peach. The pear and the Delaware grape will be still more 

 profitable in time. Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, etc., 

 will soon largely receive similar supplies by railroad from 

 Southern points. 



Forwarding Early Crops. Early crops in the open air 

 should be planted in a sheltered situation, on a dark-color- 

 ed, silicious soil. It may be brought to a proper state by 

 the admixture of sand and charcoal. Crops, on the con- 

 trary, may be retarded by planting in a border sheltered 

 from the sun, and of a lighter color and more aluminous. 

 There are many plants which do much better if sown in 

 the fall. Rhubarb, parsley, etc., come up more freely if 

 suffered to be in the ground all winter. Potatoes, too, 

 may be early planted, and if they come up, should be 

 sheltered by a covering of straw or litter, added from time 

 to time to keep them from frost. ' Cabbage, cauliflower, 

 broccoli, etc., sown in autumn and transplanted, may be 

 kept out all winter in boxes made by nailing four pieces 

 of boards together, eight inches wide. Cut the pieces 12 

 inches long at the bottom, and 10 at the top ; nail them 

 together at the corners. After the frosts begin to be se- 

 vere, throw in a handful of loose straw, which will pre- 

 vent the sudden freezing and thawing of the plants. 

 Great care should be taken to produce early crops, as they 

 are less liable to be injured by insects or weeds, and very 

 much increase the satisfaction of gardening. Early plants 

 may be obtained by sowing them in a box set in a warm 

 window, or may be raised in autumn and protected in 

 winter in a cold frame or pit, or grown any time during 

 winter in a hot-bed for those more delicate, or in a cold 

 frame under glass for the hardier kinds. Such plants, 

 when set out in the spring, need to be gradually hardened, 

 and then require shading a few days until established. 

 Radishes sown under glass without heat early in January 

 are generally fit for use early in March. But to forward 



