FRAMES AND HOTBEDS 121 



weaklings, and secure all the roots possible as well 

 as all the soil that will adhere to them. When 

 planting, keep the leaves well up from the soil, 

 firm well the earth about the roots, water and 

 shade for a day or so, or until they take hold of 

 the new soil. 



As long as the plants are in the frames, give 

 them plenty of air. Stir the soil at least once a 

 week to keep it mellow and to keep down the 

 weeds. As soon as the ground can be worked out- 

 doors, make the successional sowings there, rather 

 than in the frames. If the weather should be dry, 

 keep the ground constantly hoed and watered. In 

 the extreme hot weather, grow lettuce in a partly 

 shady place, as it runs to seed very quickly. 



Good lettuce can be had in the late fall and early 

 winter, if occasional sowings of seed are made in 

 coldframes from August 15 to September 15. If the 

 frames are protected from the extreme cold, good 

 heads may be had up to Christmas. In order to 

 insure good heads of lettuce, keep water from the 

 heart; heading will be materially assisted by 

 an application of nitrate of soda, which may be 

 applied by strewing it over the surface of the 

 soil, or it may be given in liquid form by dissolv- 

 ing a 3-inch potful in twenty gallons of water. 

 When thoroughly dissolved this will supply about 

 162 square feet of soil. Two applications, at 

 intervals of ten to fourteen days, will be sufficient. 



TOMATOES Sow March /, and for main crop 

 April 75. Varieties: early, Dwarf Champion and 

 Earliana; late, Stone and Table Queen. 



