Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 663 



Putting on Earth and Sovying Seed. — When the beds are fur- 

 nished as stated before, the sashes are put on at once. These ai*e 

 covered with straw mats. In case the weather is pleasant, the latter 

 may be taken off for three or fonr hours, the next day. Two days 

 from the time of making, under ordinary circumstances the earth 

 may be put on. This should not be done, however, until the manure 

 is well heated inside of the frames. Six or eight inches of leaf mold 

 in good garden soil, free from stones, will answer. 



Two or three days from the time of putting in the earth the seed 

 may be sown. Select a pleasant spot, and remove all the sashes and 

 mats. Unless the soil is very rich, a handful of bone flour or super- 

 phosphate should be sprinkled over each light. Then turn the earth 

 over with a digging fork, and rake the surface level; for if left 

 slanting the frequent waterings will wash the seed from the upper or 

 rear part of the bed. 



Make shallow drills from rear to front two inches apart and about 

 three-quarters deep. The seed is sown in these drills, and covered 

 lightly by sifting earth over the bed until the surface is level again. 

 Each kind of seed should be sown separatel}^, and labeled at the 

 time of sowing. The sashes should then be replaced, and toward 

 night the mats put on. Except in very cold weather, the mats 

 should be taken off daily, about nine or ten o'clock in the morn- 

 ing. 



The secret in growing strong, stocky plants is, when they are up 

 to give an abundance of air at the right time. For instance, if the 

 sashes are opened soon after removing the mats, the chances are that 

 the young plants will be injured by what gardeners call " damping 

 off." While the plants are young no air should be admitted into the 

 beds for at least one hour from the time the mats were removed, 

 Each succeeding mild day more air can be given to the plants, to 

 keep them from growing spindling. 



Egg plants and peppers require more heat and less air than cab- 

 bages, cauMowers, tomatoes, or lettuce. 



When tomato plants are two inches high, they should be pricked 

 out into another frame. Those who make a business of growing 

 tomatoes in a large way for market will transplant them three times 

 before setting them out in the tield. Each time the plants are moved 

 from one bed to another, more room is given in order to get a short, 

 stocky plant. 



Egg plants will do better, producing more fruit and earlier, where 



