D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



AAokinf^ ♦htf R^H This requires careful attention, as 

 /MalXin^ inC DcU future success depends largely upon 

 the manner in which this work is done. Having cleared away 

 snow and ice, build a rectangular bed one foot larger each 

 way than the frame to be used, carefully shaking out and 

 spreading each forkful and repeatedly treading down the 

 manure so as to maku the bed as uniform as possible in solid- 

 ity, composition and moisture. It is of the utmost impor- 

 tance that this shaking apart and evenly pressing down of 

 the manure should be carefully and thoroughly done; unless 

 it is, one portion will heat quicker than the others, and the 

 soil will settle unevenly, making it impossible to raise good 

 plants. The proper depth of the bed will vary with the climate, 

 season, and the kind of plants to be raised. A shallow bed 

 will quickly give a high temperature which will soon subside; 

 a deeper one, if well made, will heat more moderately, but 

 continue much longer. For general purposes, a bed about 

 two feet deep will be best. 



The bed completed, the frame and sash may be put on and 

 fresh manure carefully packed around the outside to the very 

 top (if the weather is at all severe, this outside banking should 

 be replenished as it settles). The bed should then be allowed 

 to stand with the sash partially open for a day or two to 

 allow the steam and rank heat to pass off. The earth should 

 then be put on and carefully leveled. Care should be taken 

 that the soil is dry and friable. If wet or frozen soil must be 

 used, it should be placed in small piles until well dried out 

 before spreading. The heat at first will be quite violent, fre- 

 quently rising to 120 degrees: but it soon subsides, and when 

 it recedes to 90 degrees the .seed may be planted. The impor- 

 tance of using dry soil and allowing the first I'^nk heat to pass 

 off is verj' great. Every season thousands of hot-beds fail of 

 good results from these causes, and seedsmen are blamed for 

 failure resulting from overheat, or wet, soggy soil. 



These frames are particularly useful in the South, and may 

 be covered more cheaply with cloth shades than by sash. 

 The shades are made as follows: Make light but strong wooden 

 frames to fit over the bed. and of a width to receive some 

 common brand of cotton cloth. The cloth may be unbleach- 

 ed, and should be stretched over and securely tacked to the 

 frames, "We have found that Plant-Bed Cloth, which we have 

 for sale, is superior to any ordinary cloth for this purpose. 



TrPn«nl;^nf intf ^° transplanting, the main points to be 

 1 I aii;>piaiiiiii^ regarded are: care in taking up the 

 plants so as to avoid injury to the roots, planting firmly so as 

 to enable the plant to take a secure hold of the soil, reducing 

 the top to prevent evaporation, and shading to prevent the 

 hot sun from withering and blighting the leaves. In trans- 

 planting from a hot-bed. harden the plants bv letting them 

 get quite dry a day or two before, but give an abundance of 

 water a few hours before they are taken out. It is mr.st apt 

 to be successful if done Just at evening, or immediately before 

 or during the first part of a rain, about the worst time being 

 just after a rain, when the ground being wet it is impossible 

 to sufficiently press it about the plant without its baking 

 hard. If water is used at all it should be used freely, and the 

 wet sm-face immediatelj' covered with dry soil. 



W;if<>rintf "^^^ ^^^^ time to water plants is between sun- 

 VI a\X,l 111^ gg(- and sunrise. "SVater may be given to the 

 roots at any time, but should never be sprinkled over the 

 leaves while' they are exposed to bright sunshine. If water- 

 ing a plant has been commenced, continue to supply it as it 

 is needed, or more injury than good will result from what 

 has been given. One copious watering is better than many 

 scanty sprinklings. The ground should always be stirred wich 

 a hoe or rake as soon after watering as it can be done with- 

 out making the soil muddy. 



Management for success are 

 nf f hp Rpd - ^ steady, uni- 

 Ol mi; EMSU - form degree of 

 heat and moisture: keeping the soil 

 at all times a few degrees warmer 

 than the air. and the careful '•hard- 

 ening off"" (by exposure 'to the air 

 and diminishing the supply of water) 

 of the plants l>efore transplanting 

 into the open air. Simple as these 

 may seem to be, there are many diffi- 

 culties in the way of securing them, 

 prominent among which are over- 

 heating the air under a bright sun. 

 "Without experience one would 

 scarcely believe how quickly the tem- 

 perature inside of a well-built hot- 

 bed will rise to 90 or 100 degrees upon 

 a still, sunny day, even when the 

 temperature outside is far below 

 freezing, or how quickly the tempera- 

 ture will fall to that outside, if upon 

 a wiudy. cloudy day the sash is left 

 open ever so little. A rush of cold 

 air driven over the plants is far more 

 injurious than the same temperature 

 when the air is still. Again, in cloudy 

 weather, a bed will go several days 

 without watering, but will dry up ia 

 an hour when open on a sunny day. 

 The details of management. however, 

 must be learned by experience, but 

 may be easily acquired by one who 

 gives the matter careful attention, 

 keeping constantly in mind the es- 

 sentials given above. 



A V/OlQ rramC construction 

 of boards for wintering over j'oung 

 plants. Cabbage, Lettuce, Cauliflow- 

 er, Brocoli. etc.. and is also extreme- 

 ly useful to protect and harden off 

 plants from the greenhouse or hot- 

 bed before fully exposing them in 

 the open air . 



Select a dr}', southern exposure, 

 form a frame from four to six feet 

 wide and as long as required. The 

 back should be fourteen to eighteen 

 inches high, and the front eight to 

 twelve, with a cross- tie every three 

 feet. The frame may be covered with 

 sash or cloth. Seeds of the vege- 

 tables to be wintered, sown in open 

 border early in September, will be 

 ready to plant in cold frames about 

 the last of October. The soil should 

 be well prepared and smoothly raked 

 before planting. Admit air freely 

 on pleasant days, but keep close in 

 severe weather. 



OUR SEED WAREHOUSE B" 85 X 140 FEET. 



