368 



VEGETABLE GARDENING 



"The soil is made firm and allowed to come slightly 

 abo\-e the top of the boxes in the hotbed. It is then 

 marked out in squares in such a way that the intersec- 

 tion of the marks center the boxes. The seed 1)ed is 

 now ready. After putting- in the seed, careful attention 

 is given to watering, to ^•entiIation and to keeping- out 

 weeds. A da}' temperature is maintained at first of 50 

 to 60 degrees. As the time for transplanting draws near 



FIG. 88. STARTING MUSKMELONS IN FR.\MES 



more air is given in order to harden off the young plants. 

 The seedlings are moved about in the beds to fill possi- 

 ble vacancies, and by the time they are ready to trans- 

 plant a perfect stand has been secured with one plant 

 m a hill, f Figure 88.) 



"Several plans for watering are in successful use. A 

 common method is to mount a tank on trucks and drive 

 along the hotbeds, watering through a lead of hose, pro- 

 \-ided with a rosette. Some growers, whose bed's are 



