94 



KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTS. 



[chap. 



state the plants stand until they go into the bed where they 

 are to bear. They will be lit for removal as soon as they have 

 made two fair rough leaves, and have begun to exhibit the appear- 

 ance of shoots or runners coming forth. But, while the plants are 

 in this situation, you must be careful to top them or stop them. 

 From between the seed leaves there will come out a shoot, which 

 will presently have one rough leaf on each side of it ; then between 

 these two rough leaves you will see a shoot rising. The moment 

 this is clearly distinguishable, pinch it clean out with your fore- 

 finger and thumb ; and this will cause shoots to come out on both 

 sides from the sockets of the two rough leaves which have been 

 left ; and by the time that these side-shoots become an inch and 

 a half long, the plants ought to be removed into the large bed 

 where they are to grow and to bear ; for by this time they will 

 have filled the pot w ith roots ; and, if they stand in the pots much 

 longer, some of these roots will become matted together on the 

 outsides and at the bottom of the pot, where they will perish, and 

 cause the plants to be stunted. At this age, therefore, they should 

 be removed into the new bed, of the making and managing of which 

 w^e must now speak. The dung for it should be put into a heap, 

 and turned beforehand in the manner described in Chapter III. ; 

 and about a week, or a little more, before the plants are ready to 

 come out of the seed-bed, this new^ bed must be made full four 

 feet high, or four feet and a half, in the manner directed in Chap- 

 ter III. The frame should be put on, the state of the heat ascer- 

 tained, in the manner there directed, and, in this case, the frame 

 ought to fit the bed as nearly as possible, and the bed ought not 

 to extend beyond the sides of the frame, as in the case of the 

 seed-bed ; for here there are to be linings, the purpose of which 

 we shall see by-and-by. This bed having arrived at the proper 

 heat, should be covered all over with dry mould to the depth of 

 four inches ; then about three quarters of a bushel of similar 

 mould ought to be laid in the centre of each light, rather nearer, 

 however, to the back than to the front of the frame ; and at the 

 same time, three or four bushels of mould, or more, ought to be 

 laid round against the frame on the inside. The mould in the 

 heaps, as well as that round the sides of the frame, and in- 

 deed the mould all over the bed, ought to be stirred once 

 at least every day, and air ought to be given to the bed, 

 though there are as yet no plants in it. Everything having 



