The Canadian Horticulturist. 



151 



boards close together ; have side boards six inches wide, and put slats on the 

 rest of sides and top, leaving broad interstices between them for ventilation. 

 Put in enough wet grass or moss to pack down two inches thick ; stand the 

 bunches butts down on the moss, tightly, leaving the heads about one inch below 

 the slats. When the crate is full, crowd some wet moss all around, to prevent 

 shifting during transportation. — American Agriculturist. 



ASPARAGUS BUNCHER. 



The accompanying engravings of an asparagus buncher may be of special 

 interest to some of our readers at this season. They are copied from " Parks 

 and Gardens of Paris," Robinson. 



Fig. 40. 



Fio. 41. 



Early Watermelons. — After having tried a simple experiment on having 

 early watermelons. I will offer my plan to your readers, feeling that it may be of 

 benefit to some. Take tin cans (oyster or salmon) and heat them hot enough 

 to melt the solder : then remove the tops and bottoms, and also open the joints 

 on the sides. Tie a string around the cans to hold the edges together, and set 

 on a plank, that they may be moved out on sunny days, or in a warm, dry place, 

 where they will be protected from the cold, and fill with dirt. Plant the seed in 

 the cans, and give them plenty of air and light. When frost is over, take to the 

 field, open a hole in the hill and place the can in it. Then cut the string, 

 remove the can by pressing open, and the plant will grow off as rapidly as if first 

 planted in the hill. Have rows ten or twelve feet apart and hills ten feet apart. 

 Thin plants to two in a hill ; if attacked by bugs, dust them with ashes. By this 

 means melons may be had very early. — A. A. Sutton, in Farm and Home. 



