September, 1917 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



57 



Stretching the Calendar 



LENGTHENING the season of fresh 

 vegetables by several weeks beyond 

 frost dates is quite practical, by giving 

 slight protection. A coldframe is simply 

 a box-like structure, with or without 

 cover, made of any boards, the wider the bet- 

 ter, and supported by stout posts. It may be 

 constructed anywhere though a fence at its 

 northern end, or a clump of trees will help its 

 efficiency. 



In a straight line, drive short, strong posts, 

 about 3 feet long, 3 feet apart, to a depth of one 

 foot. Six feet away and preferably to the 

 south drive a second row, equally spaced, 18 in- 

 ches deep. Nail boards to these posts on the 

 outer sides and your frame is ready. Now dig 

 up the contained soil, 

 mixing in some well 

 rotted manure, or 

 some "complete" 

 chemical fertilizer and 

 sow seeds, as sug- 

 gested elsewhere. 

 Such a frame will en- 

 able you to grow some 

 extra early beans and 

 beets to maturity as 

 well. Seeds may be 

 sown in close rows; 

 six to eight inches for 

 lettuce; radish, four 

 inches. It is really 

 surprising what a vast 

 amount of stuff can 

 be grown on a limited 

 area, if the space is 

 handled systematic- 

 ally. 



When nights get so 

 cool as to become 

 frosty, cover the 

 frame with boards to 

 which may be nailed 

 mats or burlap or any 

 kind of material that 

 will keep out the cold. 

 Uncover in the morn- 

 ing; cover at night. 

 Later on the frame 

 may be converted in- 

 to a very serviceable 

 hot-bed — but that's to be told of in 

 next month's Garden Magazine. 



Fall Strategy for Late Crops 



"THIRTY days (region of New York) 

 ■*■ separate us from the earliest re- 

 corded frost of the season — the average 

 date is three weeks later, however. It 

 seems absurd to talk of starting a 

 vegetable garden at this time. And yet, 

 nearly ideal ''growing weather" prevails 

 the biggest part of this month. More 



SKIRMISHING ALONG THE 

 FROST LINE 



than a dozen extra early semi-hardy vegetables 

 may still be sown for foodstuffs outdoors, if you 

 press into service, toward the end of the month, 

 some simple devices to keep off the frost. 

 Vegetables that are semi-hardy and that will 

 endure considerable frost if gradually hard- 

 ened are lettuce, onions (from sets), peas, 

 radishes, spinach, and turnips. 



Onions from sets will not yield until spring; 

 but by planting out either Egyptian Winter 

 or multiplier or potato onions this month, you 



'Forewarned is forearmed.' 



This map shows the earliest recorded frosts. The average date of expectation is about 

 three weeks later. Prepare for the unexpected! 



may gather green onions when your 

 neighbor gets ready to plant his sets. 



Peas. Sow first week of this month. 

 Such early varieties as Market Surprise or 

 Pedigree Extra Early, etc., will mature 

 where no "killing" frost disturbs vegeta- 

 tion before October 20th. Sow late peas in 

 double drills, about 2 inches deep, 4 inches 

 between the drills and 18 inches between these 

 double rows. Four 15-ft. rows, handled in this 

 fashion, will yield 2 good messes of pods be- 

 fore frost. Thus planted in a compact area, 

 they are easily cared for and protected from 

 severe cold. 



Lettuces that will reach edible size before 

 frost injures them are Early Curled Simpson, 

 and Prizehead among the loose-leaved kinds; 

 May King, Naum- 

 burger and Big Boston 

 among the butter- 

 heads; and Cnsp-as- 

 Ice as a crisp or cab- 

 bage head variety. 

 To grow them to full 

 size, the protection of 

 a coldframe or some 

 such device is neces- 

 sary — a few boards, 

 nailed together in 

 box-like fashion will 

 suffice even. 



Radishes of the ex- 

 tra early round turnip 

 and olive - shaped 

 types that will reach 

 full size by end of 

 month from seeds 

 sown at the beginning 

 are Hailstone, Snow- 

 ball, Rapid Red, Red 

 and White Olive- 

 Shaped, and French 

 Breakfast. Sow 

 thinly, thin promptly, 

 water and cultivate 

 freely. 



Spinach endures 

 considerable cold, 

 and with a slight pro- 

 tective mulch of straw 

 or dry leaves will go 

 through the winter in 

 the latitude of New York. Frost Re- 

 sistant Munsterland is the hardiest of 

 all, but it may be impossible to get seed, 

 because of the embargo on Eutch 

 spinach seeds. Sow at once Prickly or 

 Winter, Victoria or Long Standing 

 Prickly to furnish "greens" by October 

 and again next spring. 



Turnips. The Milan varieties will 

 reach the desirable 2 inch size by end of 

 October from seeds sown early in Sep- 

 tember. This crop, like radishes, will 

 develop very quickly if seeds are sown 



Late and tender crops of vegetables may be saved for two or three weeks by adequate preparedness. Lettuce (left) and beans (right) covered with handy cloths on the threat of frost. 



In the centre: egg plants; the one in front was covered by an old barrel, the others were not. Take the hint? 



