DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



13 



The bed completed, the frame and sash may be put on and then it should be allowed to stand a few days with 

 the sash partially open to allow the steam and rank heat to pass off. The heat will at first be quite violent, fre- 

 quently raising in the first few days to 120*, but it soon subsides, and when it recedes to 90° the earth may be put 

 in and the seed planted. If from any reason you are obliged to use froze>. soil, it may be placed in small piles upon 

 the manure immediately upon the completion of the bed, but it should not be again disturbed until it has thawed 

 and dried out, and care should be used to give free vent for the escape of the steam and moist air. The importance 

 of allowing this gross heat to pass off before planting the seeds is very great, as every season thousands of hot-beds 

 are failures and their builders blame the seedsmen for sending them poor seed, when the real difficulty was that 

 their seeds were burned up by this first heat. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BED.— The essentials for success are a steady, uniform degree of heat and 

 moisture ; keeping the soil at all times a few degrees warmer than the air, and the careful " hardening off " (by ex- 

 posure to the air and diminishing the supply of water) of the plants before transplanting into the open air. Simple 

 as these seem to be, there are many difficulties in the way of securing them, prominent among which are overheat- 

 ing the air under a bright sun. Without experience, one would scarcely beUeve how quickly the temperature 

 inside of a well built hot-bed will rise to 90 or ico degrees upon a still, sunny day even with the thermometer outside 

 is far below freezing, or how quickly the temperature will fall to 1 hat outside, if upon a windy, cloudy day the sash is 

 left open ever so little ; besides such a rush of cold air driven over the plants is far more injurious than the same 

 temperature when the air is still. Again, a bed will go several days without watering when' kept closed during 

 cloudy weather, but will dry out in 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 con- 

 stantly in mind the essentials given above. 



A CCLD FRAME is a simple construction of boards for wintering cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, brocoli, etc., 

 for planting out early in the spring. 



Select a dry, southern exposure ; form a frame from four to six feet wide and as long as required. The back 

 should be fourteen and the front six inches high, with a cross tie every six feet. Seeds of the above named veg- 

 etables, sown in open borders 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 all pleasant days, but 

 keep close in severe weather. 



TRANSPLANTING.— In transplanting, the main points to be 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. It is 

 most 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 surface immediately covered 

 with dry soil. 



WATERING. — The best time to water plants is at sunrise or just at evening, and always use rain water when 

 it is to be had. If well water must be used it should be exposed to the sun a day or two till it rises to the tempera- 

 ture of the air before it is applied. Water may be given to the roots at any time, but should never be sprinkled 

 over the leaves in the hot sun, for it will make them blister and cover them with brown spots wherever it touches. 

 If watering a plant has been commenced, keep on until the necessity ceases, or more injury than good will result 

 from it ; one copious watering is better than a little and often. The use of the hoe should always follow the water- 

 ing pot as soon as the ground becomes dry. 



■V.,^^JLj-Cr-A.BILiE T.A.BILjES. 



Quantity of Seed required to produce a given number of Plants, or sow on a given 



quantity of groujid. 



Artichoke i oz. to 500 plants. 



Asparagus i oz. to 60 feet drill. 



Beans, Dwarf i qt. to 150 feet drill 



or 300 hills. 



" Pole I qt. to aoo hills. 



Beet I oz. to 100 feet drill. 



Brocoli I oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Brussels Sprouts i oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Cabbage i oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Carrot i oz. to 250 feet drill. 



Cauliflower 1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Celery i oz. to 10,000 plants. 



Chicory i oz. to 100 feet drill. 



Collards i oz. to 2,500 plants. 



Corn I qt. to 500 hills. 



Cress 1 oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Cucumber i oz. to 80 hills. 



Egg Plant I oz. to 2,000 plants. 



Endive i oz. to 300 feet drill. 



Garlic (bulbs) i lb to '10 feet d.ill. 



Gourd I oz. to 25 hills. 



Kale I or. to 3 ,000 plants. 



Kohl Rabi '. i oz. to ' 200 feet drill. 



Lettuce , i oz. to 10,000 plants 



or 250 feet diill. 



Leek i oz. to 250 feet dril 



Marjoram i oz. to 10,000 plants. 



Martynia i oz. to 



Melon, Musk i oz. to 



'* Water i oz. to 



Nasturtium i oz. to 



Okra I oz. to 



Onion Seed i oz. to 



" Tops or Sets i qt. to 



Parsnip i oz. to 



Parsley i oz. to 



Peas I qt. to 



Pepper i oz. to 1,500 plants. 



Pumpkin i qt. to^ 400 hills. 



Radish I oz. to' 



Salsify I oz. to 



Sage I oz. to 



Spinach i oz. to 



Savory i oz. to 



Squash, Summer i oz. to 



Winter i oz. to 



Tomato i oz. to 5.000 plants. 



Tobacco I oz. to 10,000 plants. 



Turnip _^^' • • I oiz. to 250 feet drill. 



50 feet drill. 

 100 hills. 



25 hills. 



50 feet drill. 



50 feet drill. 

 200 feet drill. 



ao feet drill. 

 25c feet drill, 

 aoo feet drill. 

 150 feet drill. 



150 feet drill. 



60 feet drill. 

 250 feet drill. 

 150 feet drill. 

 500 feet drill. 



40 hills. 



10 hills 



