26 BULLETIN 258, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



quire members of the class to make written reports on the spraying 

 at their homes covering such phases as the formulas of spraying mate- 

 rials used, the spraying machinery, the fruits sprayed, and the diseases 

 or insects combated. (3) Fruit-club or home-project members should 

 spray, cultivate, and fertilize their trees. 



Correlations. — Language and drawing: Describe and make sketch 

 of a barrel spray. History : Have pupils write accounts of the intro- 

 duction and spread of damage done by fruit diseases found in the 

 community. Arithmetic: Develop problems on the cost of sprays. 

 See United States Department of Agriculture Bui. 132. 



LESSON SEVEN. 

 SUBJECT : HOME GARDEN. TOPIC : PLANTING IN HOTBEDS AND IN THE OPEN. 



Hotbeds. — These should be given constant attention to prevent 

 overheating and to secure ventilation. Tomato, eggplant, and pepper 

 seeds should be sown in the hotbed about the middle of the month. 

 Melon plants should be started in boxes in the southern part of the 

 State. Plants from seeds sown in January should be ready to trans- 

 fer to the cold frame, and after being hardened off set in the open. 



Planting in the open. — Winter rains have leached much of the 

 available fertility from garden soils, hence it is necessary to apply 

 well-rotted manure or high-grade fertilizers, preferably both. Apply 

 an 8:2:8 high-grade fertilizer at the rate of 500 to 1,000 pounds per 

 acre. 



Irish potatoes, cabbage, onions, radishes, lettuce, spinach, turnips, 

 carrots, and English peas should be planted this month. Soak seed 

 potatoes for two hours in a formalin solution (40 per cent formalde- 

 hyde) consisting of 1 ounce of formalin and 2 gallons of water. 



Class assignment. — Duggar's, pp. 185-191. Supplement the lesson 

 with notes from Alabama Experiment Station Circ. 14, Parts I and 

 II; Farmer's Buls. 220, 255, 354, 433, 434, and 544. 



Practical exercises. — (1) Prepare the soil and begin planting vege- 

 tables on the school or home gardens. The pupils should plant such 

 vegetables as potatoes, onions, lettuce, turnips, radishes, and peas. 

 (2) Club members should plant tomato seed either in hotbeds or 

 boxes. ' Plow and harrow the soil that is to be used for the tomato 

 plat. Well-rotted manure should be applied before the soil is har- 

 rowed. , 



Correlations. — Language : Have the members of the class make 

 written reports of the work done this month in their gardens. Those 

 who do not have plats of their own should be required to report on 

 the work done in the home gardens. Arithmetic: From the reports 

 made by the pupils of the class develop problems to determine the 

 cost of the gardens this month, taking into account labor, fertilizer, 

 and seed. 



