252 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



rows. Set the plants six inches deep and twelve to eighteen 

 inches apart in the row. Commercial gardeners leave four 

 or five feet between rows. The soil must be maide as rich as 

 possible with compost or fresh manure. Old beds should be 

 liberally manured. The coming crop will be much better. 



It is not too early to risk a few of the hardy vegetables 

 out-of-doors late in January. Make a trial of early cabbage 

 plants, English pea seeds, onion sets and seeds, carrots, pars- 

 nips, beets, lettuce, radish, spinach, turnips, rutabagas and 

 kohlrabi. A hardy lettuce for such early planting is Hanson 

 or Wonderful, which is known also as the Shellem lettuce. 



The winter garden should be carefully worked, and prepare 

 the soil for the spring garden to catch and hold moisture. 



Flowers. — Plant sweet peas in deep trenches where they 

 will have plenty of sun in the early morning. 



The house plants should be well cared for. They consti- 

 tute the main flower garden at this season. See that all dead 

 parts are removed. Give them plenty of water. A little 

 liquid manure will stimulate any that are declining. Watch 

 for insect enemies and use the best remedies promptly. 



Dahlias may be started from seed, as new colors are thus 

 found. Those from seed vary in color while those from roots 

 do not. Seed started this month may be expected to produce 

 flowering plants next fall. 



The most hardy annual and perennial flowers may be 

 planted in the open garden late in January. Many of them 

 are not easily transplanted, and the seed may be sown where 

 the plants are to remain until flowering time. 



The following are popular hardy flowers : Alyssum, snap- 

 dragon, fox glove, hollyhock, poppy, pansy, phlox, candytuft 

 and larkspur. The young seedlings may be protected by leaves 

 or other oovers during late cold snaps. Many of them 

 started in coldframes will bloom by May. 



Trees and Fruits. — The last of January, if not too wet, 

 is a good time for transplanting all kinds of shade and fruit 



