The Farm Garden 1291 



on a board, sprinkling on enough earth to fill openings, then set- 

 ting where they will stay frozen. To draw out the frost, when 

 ready to use, break off and put in cold water. They may be left in 

 the ground until spring, if desired. 



Carrots too, while they germinate more quickly, are rather 

 delicate when first up, yet it is important that all should be 

 worked quickly to keep down weed growth and conserve moisture. 



A few radish seeds mixed with all these, and any others that 

 may be delicate when first up or that come up slowly, are a help. 

 Then mark the row quickly and plainly so that work may be 

 started at once, as well as breaking the soil so that the less vigorous 

 seeds may more readily push through. 



Beets may be sown as soon as the ground is fit in the spring. 

 For winter use, either for canning or storing, sow about July first. 



With all the root crops and onions it seems unnecessary to say 

 anything about varieties, there being little differences except size 

 and shape. All, however, are considered laborious to grow; 

 therefore care is important. Cultivation should be begun as soon 

 as possible and the rows kept narrow — the narrower the better. 

 When plants are two or three inches high, pass through with a 

 hoe, cutting out the row except where the plants are to stand, leav- 

 ing in each place a clump about one to two inches long. Then one 

 can quickly thin by hand to the desired stand. Generally they 

 should be gone over twice, leaving at first about double what is 

 eventually needed to insure a full stand. This makes the ground 

 clean and easy to w r ork. 



Lettuce is another vegetable one should have, and there are 

 many good varieties ; generally, however, all are of two rather 

 distinct types — the loose open head or the compact cabbage 

 head. It is natural for all to head in one of these two ways if 

 properly handled. Lettuce should be sown rather thickly in 

 rows, keeping them always thinned so that they do not touch each 

 other ; or the seed can be sown in the seed bed and transplanted to 

 about four inches apart. Lettuce is one of the things that must 

 grow quickly to be good. The soil should be enriched with well- 

 rotted stable manure or some other form of quickly available 

 nitrogen. Tt is also a plant that, while it naturally roots deeply, 

 can not do so in hard soil. Therefore, the ground should be pre- 

 pared well and deeply for best results. 



