VEGETABLE PLANTS IN THE HOUSE 



I put sphagnum moss. There should be 

 at least an inch of it after it has been pressed 

 down by the weight of the soil above. The 

 bottom of the seed-box is bored full of small 

 holes. Each box sets in a shallow pan of 

 galvanized iron, on a layer of coarse gravel, 

 which raises it enough to allow water to cir- 

 culate freely under it. Water is poured into 

 the iron pan, using enough to come up about 

 half an inch above the bottom of the seed- 

 box, or in contact with the moss in it, and it 

 should be kept at this height at all times. 

 The moss absorbs the moisture like a sponge, 

 and the soil above constantlj^ sucks up all 

 that is needed to keep it in a sufficiently 

 moist condition to meet the requirements of 

 the plants growing in it. The absorbent 

 qualities of the moss are such that an ex- 

 cessive amount of moisture is never communi- 

 cated to the soil above. Thus I secure a 

 steady and even supply, which does away 

 entirely with the danger resulting from the 

 application of water to the surface of the 

 soil from watering-pot or basin. 



If the temperature can be controlled in 

 such a way that it will not vary much from 

 60 to 65"^, if the soil can be kept moist but 

 never wet, and fresh air can be given in gen- 

 erous quantity regularly, it will be found a 



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