26 STEAW MATS. 



are taken from the seed-bed, Cucumbers and Melons 

 can be started under the glass, and transplanted to 

 the open air in May. These plants will produce 

 fruit two weeks before seed planted in the open 

 ground. 



STRAW MATS. 



Every gardener who grows early vegetables must 

 have a supply of straw mats to cover the sashes, when 

 forcing vegetables or plants by bottom-heat. These 

 mats are made at odd times during the Winter, when 

 nothing more important is on hand. At our farm 

 we have a wooden frame, made of four boards nailed 

 together. This frame is eight feet long and five feet 

 wide. In the centre of the top board there are five 

 nails fastened about ten inches apart, and five more 

 on the bottom board, to correspond with the upper 

 row of nails or pegs. Before commencing with the 

 straw, five pieces of marling or tarred twine are cut 

 about twenty-eight feet long ; one end of each piece 

 is fastened to a nail on the top board, then drawn 

 tight and fastened to the corresponding lower nail. 

 The surjDlus twine is wound around short pieces of 

 green wood, with a slit in one end to keep the twine 

 from unwinding. Sound rye straw that has been 

 thrashed with the flail is the best kind for malung 

 mats. They will be made more qiiickly if the straw 

 has been arranged beforehand, shaking out some of 

 the short or broken pieces, and getting the butt-ends 

 of the sheaves even. 



When everything is in readiness, two men or 

 boys stand in front of the frame, having a sheaf of 

 straw close to the edye of the frame on either side. 



to 



