VEGETABLES 311 



can be given without chilling the plants. Water 

 carefully, preferably when the sun is shining. 



3. The greatest danger to the seedlings is the " damping 



off" fungus. In cloudy weather and when the sur- 

 face of the soil is kept wet this causes the plants to 

 die through injury to the stems. As soon as any 

 plants are injured, withhold water and give all the 

 air and sunshine possible. Take care also that mice 

 do not nibble the seedlings at night, in the house. 



4. When the plants have one or two leaves in addition to 



the cotyledons, transplant them to shallow boxes, or 

 preferably to two-and-one-half-inch paper pots. Set 

 as deep in the pot as you can that roots may develop 

 along the stem above the place where the roots first 

 came out. Keep in a sunny place. 



5. After three or four weeks' growth in the small pots it 



will probably be desirable to transplant into three- 

 inch paper pots. Set rather deeply down that more 

 roots may come from the additional part of the stalk 

 that will thus be covered with earth. 



6. As soon as weather out-doors permits, set the plants on 



a sunny porch, or in a cold-frame, or in some shel- 

 tered place where they can be protected at night, and 

 be gradually " hardened off." By the time they are 

 ready to put in the garden they should have buds or 

 blossoms. If they blossom much before they can be 

 set out, pollenize the flowers. You may thus get 

 some fruits started early. 



7. When danger of killing frosts is past, plant in rich soil 



in the garden. The distance apart will depend upon 

 the method of after treatment. Set the plant so 



