DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 11 



dug soil much more effectually than we can ; a man will raise more moisture with a spade and a hoe in a day than 

 he can pour out of a watering pot in a week. If the ground be suffered to become close and compact, the cool sur- 

 face exposed to the air for the reception of moisture is smaller, and what is deposited does not enter into the earth 

 far enough to be appropriated ; but if the soil be loose and porous, the air enters more deeply and deposits its moist- 

 ure beneath the surface. Almost anj' soil in which a seed will germinate may be made, by continued hoeing, to 

 produce a crop. Above all, cut away every ivecd that appears. " One year's seeding makes seven years' weed- 

 ing." The only use of weeds is to make a necessity of tilling the ground more frequently. Weeds will come up in 

 spite of our care, but much can be done to prevent their spreading or maturing. 



HOT-BED. — In order to secure a supply of early vegetables, a hot-bed is indispensable, but one can be con- 

 structed by any handy man at very small expense. 



Select a southeast aspect and take out the soil to the depth of eighteen inches, the size you require ; make a 

 frame eighteen inches high at the back and one foot in front, filling it with stable manure well shaken as it is placed 

 in ; cover with six inches of good, mellow loam, or light soil, allowing it to stand two or three days, till the gross 

 heat has passed away. Now sow your seeds as previously directed. As the seedlings appear above ground, give 

 air by tilting the sashes at the back ; during cold nights a mat should be thrown over the frame to prevent the loss 

 of heat — being careful on bright, sunny days to shade the plants from the burning rays of the sun. A good method 

 is to give the glass a slight coat of whitewash. As soon as the plants are large enough they may be transplanted in 

 the open ground, but before doing so they should be well hardened off. If you have a cold frame, it would be well 

 to plant them in it a week or two for this purpose. 



A COLD FRAME is a simple construction of boards for wintering cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, brocoli, 

 etc., for planting out early in the spring. 



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

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

 vegetables, sown in open borders early in September, will be ready to plant in cold frame 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 se\ere weather. 



MANURE FOR HOT-BEDS.— Fresh stable manure, in which there is plenty of litter, is most suited for 

 this purpose. There should be at least one-third litter in the heap. If this is not in the mass in sufficient quantity, 

 add leaves or tan bark ; shake it up and mix well together, adding water if at all drj- and musty, and throw it into 

 a compact heap to ferment. Let it remain a week, and then work it over thoroughly as before, and add water, if 

 necessary. Where the ground is quite dr^-, a very good method is to dig a space about eighteen inches deep and 

 put in the manure, tramping u firmly and evenly, and place thereon the frame or sash, and put in the rich earth, 

 and. in about four days, sow the seed, having previously stirred the earth freely to destroy the seeds of weeds 

 therein. 



TRANSPLANTING. — In transplanting, the main points to be regarded are care ir» 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 ol the soil, reducing the 

 top to prevent evaporation, and shading to prevent the hot sun from witherihg and blighting the leaves. Trans- 

 planting should be done just at evening or immediately before or after a rain. Give each plant a gill of water, and 

 shade with a shingle. 



"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 injurj- 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 watering pot as soon as the ground becomes dr>'. 



Quantity of Seed required to produce a given number of Plants, or Sow a g-iven 



quantity of ground. 



Artichoke i oz. to 500 plants. 



Asparagus i oz. to 60 feet drill. 



Beans, Dwarf. . 1 qt. to 300 hills. 



" Pole I qt. to 200 hills. 



Beet 1 oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Brocoli 1 oz. to 3.000 plants. 



Brussels Sprouts i oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Cabbage 1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Carrot i oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Cauliflower 1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Celerj- ... . . .1 oz. to 8,000 plants. 



Chicory- I oz. to 100 feet drill. 



CoUards 1 oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Corn I qt. to 400 hills. 



Cress. 1 oz. to 100 feet drill. 



Cucumber i oz. to 200 hills. 



Egg Plant I oz. to 2,000 plants. 



Endive i oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Garlic, bulbs 1 lb. to 10 feet drill. 



Gourd I oz. to 50 hills. 



Kale I oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Kohl Rabi i oz. to 3,000 plants. 



Leek, i oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Lettuce i oz. to 5,000 plants. 



Marjoram i oz. to 10,000 plants. 



Martj-nia 1 oz. to 30 feet drilL 



Melon, Musk i oz. to 150 hills. 



" Water i oz to 50 hills. 



Nasturtium x oz. to 30 feet drill. 



Okra . I oz. to 50 feet drill. 



Onion. Seed i oz. to 100 feet drill. 



" Tops.... 1 qt. to 20 feet drill. 



'* Sets . . I qt. to 20 feet drill. 



Parsnip 1 oz. to 200 feet drill. 



Parsley. . i oz. to 150 feet drill. 



Peas . 1 qt. to 150 feet drilL 



Pepper i ot. to 2,000 plants. 



Pumpkin ..iqt. to 400 hills. 



Radish . 1 oz. to 100 feet drill. 



Salsify 1 oz. to 80 feet drilL 



Sage I oz. to 200 feet drilL 



Spinage 1 oz. to 100 feet drilL 



Savory i oz. to 300 feet drilL 



Squash, Summer i oz. to 50 hills. 



Winter 1 oz. to 10 hills. 



Tomato 1 oz. to 5,000 plants. 



Tobacco I oz. to 10,000 plants. 



Turnip i oz. to 150 feet driU. 



