VEGETABLE GROWING 317 



236. The First Planting. — There are several of the cool 

 season crops that we shall want to plant at once. Among 

 them are : 



Beets. — Hardly any other vegetables are more easily 

 raised than beets. If you plant the rows eighteen inches 

 apart in a loose, cool soil, and cultivate with the wheel 

 or hand hoe frequently to conserve the moistiire and to 

 keep down the weeds, you will soon have a row of vigor- 

 ously growing young beet plants. You should pull out 

 enough of them to allow the remainder to stand six or eight 

 inches apart. The tops of the young beets which you re- 

 move will make excellent greens. 



Later sowings may be made every two weeks into the 

 early summer. In the South, they are frequently used 

 even as a fall crop. 



Cabbage. — If we have succeeded in raising stocky, 

 thrifty young cabbage plants in the hotbed, and have 

 transplanted them into a cold frame or perhaps a frame 

 covered with cloth so as to expose them to weather condi- 

 tions down nearly to freezing to make them hardy, we are 

 almost certain of very early, crisp cabbages. 



At this time, the plants may be set in the open ground, 

 for they will endure considerable frost without injury. 

 The transplanting, however, should be done with care. 

 Near the close of the day, begin by opening the rich, 

 mellow soil with the hands or with a small garden shovel. 

 Place a plant in each hole, draw only enough dirt loosely 

 about it to hold it in place, and then pour in about half 

 a pint of water. The following morning, hoe the dirt 

 carefully about them, making the surface of the soil level. 

 This same method of transplanting should be followed 

 with tomatoes or any other plants which we may set out. 



Cabbages should be set about two feet apart each way. 

 They should be cultivated very frequently to conserve the 



