78 



COLE'S GARDEN ANNUAL. 



Hints on gowing geeds, i^^ii^P^^nting^ 

 and Making Hotbeds, E^^. 



SOWING THE SEED AND PREPARING THE SOIL. 



These are very important matters; and care should be taken to have your seed bed finely raked, 

 and free from all rubbish and lumps, and well enriched with well-rotted manure, and also not to 

 sow seed too early, or in other words, until the soil becomes sufflciently warm and dry, so that it will 

 work mellow and crumble to pieces when struck with the spade. Do not attempt to raise fine flowers 

 or good vegetables on a poor soil. Always keep a heap of manure on hand for the next season, 

 when it will be thoroughly rotted and ready for use. If these points are overlooked, and the seed 

 sown too early, it is apt to rot or perish, and consequently involve a loss and sad disappointment on 

 the part of the cultivator, and it is not the fault of the seed or seedsmen, as it is unfortunately laid 

 a great many times. However, in all cases, follow as nearly as possible the directions of each 

 variety, as given in the Catalogue, and you will have a marked success. By sowing everything, as 

 imuch as possible, in drills, instead of broadcast, a great deal of labor will be saved, as all can be kept 

 •<;lear of weeds by the hoe and hand cultivator. 



COVERING OR MULCHING SEED AFTER SOWING. 



When fine seeds are sown, dry hot weather, and hard beating rains, can soon do much damage to 

 -the tender seedlings, in drying up the tender sprouts, or baking the top of the soil. To mulch with 

 clippings of grass or some other material till plants are coming up is a good idea. We have used 

 narrow strips of thin boards with good success by laying them over the row where seeds are sown, 

 and when seeds begin to sprout, the boards can be raised a little and something laid under to give 

 iplants air, and this Is better than to remove boards too suddenly, as it gives plants time»to harden. 

 When well up, it is best to remove boards in the evening or during cloudy weather. 



THINNING PLANTS 



Is a very Important operation. Everything ought to be thinned very early, even in seed leaf, if the 

 plants stand too close. Another thinning may be necessary when they are more advanced, to give 

 •them room to grow stalky. AU plants, when crowded together, run up tall and slender, and never 

 -succeed well. 



TRANSPLANTING. 



Tn transplanting, the main points to be regarded are, care in taking up the plants so as to avoid 

 iinjury to the roots, planting firmly so as to enable the plant to take a secure hold of the soil, reduc- 

 ing the top to prevent evaporation, and shading to prevent the sun from withering and blighting 

 the leaves. In transplanting from a hot-bed, harden the plants by letting them get quite dry a day 

 ■or two before, but give an abundance of water every few hours before they are taken out. It is most 

 apt to be successful if done just at evening, or immediately before or during the first paitof a rain, 

 about the worst time being just after a rain, when the ground being wet it is impossible to suffl- 

 ciently press it about the plant without its baking hard. If water is used at all, it should be used 

 freely, and the wet surface immediately covered with dry soil. 



HOT-BEDS. 



The hot-bed is made by forming a pile of horse manure with the straw used for bedding or leaves 

 some three feet in height, and about 12 or 18 inches larger all around than the size of the frame to be 

 used. Shake all together, so that the straw and manure will be equally mixed. Ft may be sunk in 

 the ground a foot or eighteen inches, or made on the surface. Place the frame on as soon as the bed 

 is made, and fill in with about 5 or G inches' of good mellow soil, keeping the frame closed for a few 

 days until fermentation takes place and the soil is quite warm. It is better to wait a day or two 

 after this and then sow the seeds. The frame can be constructed by any handy man at very small 

 expense. It consists of a wooden frame, from 3 to 6 feet wide, and from 6 to IG feet long, according 

 to the supply of vegetables or flowers required. The back side should be at least 6 inches higher 

 than the front— tlie frame sub-divided by cross-bars and each division covered by a glazed sash. 

 The frame should face the South or Southeast. From the time the seed is sown, attention to airing 

 and shading during the hot part of the day, and covering up at night, is essential, and also that the 

 soil be never allowed to get dry. The watering should be done with a very tine rose watering pot, 

 and with tepid water. The temperature at night may range from 55 to 65 degrees, and during the 

 day from 70 to 80. 



COLD FRAMES. 



A cold frams Is Is so easy in construction and management as to be available to all. This is simply 

 a hot-bed frame with glazed sash, placed upon a bed of tine mellow earth, in some sheltered place 

 in the garden. After the frame is secured in its place, a couple of inches of tine earth should be 

 placed inside, and the frame closed up a day or two before the seeds are planted. As the cold 

 frame depends upon the sun for its warmth, it must not be started as soon as the hot-bed, and In 

 this latitude the latter part of April is soon enough. Watering occasionally will be necessary, and 

 air must be given in brlijht warm days. Shade is also necessary. 



