SOWING AND PLANTING 39 



E. R. Jinnette, of Illinois, and many other mar- 

 ket gardeners, say that it is quite important to cut 

 or "shear off" the top one-third or one-half of the 

 leaves of celery, cabbage, etc., before transplanting 

 to the open field. 



SPROUTS 



Nothing but experience can teach the air requirements 

 of plants in hotbeds or coldframes. Watch the thermometer, 

 the sun, and the wind's direction, and raise or lower or take 

 off the sash accordingly. 



"I do not use a hotbed," says H. E. Haydock, a suc- 

 cessful New York State gardener. "I find that a number of 

 shallow boxes in a sunny room answer every purpose in 

 starting the tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, etc., that I intend 

 to raise." 



A wide, iron garden rake and three or 

 four pieces of corn-cob make an easily-con- 

 structed garden marker. Wide or narrow 

 spaces may be marked at will, by changing 

 the cobs. (See cut.) 



Soaking ^seeds of slow germination, as the beet, parsnip, . 

 carrot, etc., is practised sometimes with good results. With 

 the proper seedbed, however, soaking is seldom necessary, ^ 

 especially if the ground is thoroughly "firmed" after plant- , - 

 ing. This may be done with the feet, the back of a hoe, or 

 by rolling, and is a very important operation. 



There is a new kind of a sash on the market, with double 

 glass making an air-space between top and bottom panes. 

 Plants under such sash would not easily freeze during moder- 

 ate cold-snaps, even if no mats were used. An air-space, 

 however small, is an excellent non-conductor of either cold 

 or heat; but of course double glass is not so cheap as single. 



Many gardeners on a small scale do not care to bother 

 with growing plants in hotbeds and coldframes, and so buy . 

 such plants ready-grown. This is often the cheapest way 

 vvhen only a few dozen tomato, cabbage, celery, pepper and 

 similar plants are needed for setting outdoors. Varieties of 

 vegetables that are not usually transplanted (such as carrots, 

 corn, potatoes, etc.) of course need no preliminary hotbed or 

 coldframe growth. 



