rOKCtNG-HOtrSES FOE VEGETABLES. 259 



passage-way inside connecting all the five houses, 

 with a forcing-table on either side of this passage. 



A shed made of wood or brick is necessary at the 

 north end of the houses. This will serve a double 

 purpose — as a market-house for preparing the " stuff," 

 and it will prevent the snow from drifting into the 

 alleys. A board fence running along the west side, 

 will also be found of service for this puq^ose. 



The tables should be three or four inches below 

 the lower edge of the gutter plates, to prevent rot- 

 ting of the timbers. All the boards of the tables 

 should be painted with tar. before putting them in 

 place. There is nothing gained by boarding up the 

 sides, along the passage-way — a single board five or 

 six inches wide, nailed along the outside edge to keep 

 the earth in its place, will be quite suflicient. 



A rich soil, about six or seven inches deep, made 

 up of one-third well - rotted- maniire and two-thirds 

 garden soil is put on the tables. The first crop of 

 Lettuce, thirty-five plants to a sash is planted about 

 the 20th of October. Yery little heat is required 

 before December. This crop is ready for market 

 about Christmas. The soil is then worked over and 

 planted again. This crop will be readj^ in about nine 

 weeks more — then a third planting is set oiit, to be 

 followed by cucumbers. 



At first, gardeners depended on plants grown in 

 the Fall, for the several crops, but during last Winter, 

 a few, who fell short of old plants, sowed seed in the 

 houses at the time of planting the Lettuce. 



These plants were large enoiigh for the next 

 crop, and did niuch better than the older ones. 



