4r4 r 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[February, 
young plants or matured crops, can afford to be 
without. If one wishes merely a full account of 
the manner of making a hot-bed, let him send for 
the American Agriculturist for February, 1877. In 
some localities, where the operations are large, and 
while manure is dear, fuel is cheap, it has been 
found preferable to substitute fire heat for manure 
heat. The method of building and managing 
Fire Hot-Beds, is given in a little work called “A 
Manual of Vegetable Plants,” by I. F. Tillinghast, 
noticed elsewhere. The method is a sort of com¬ 
promise between a hot-bed and greenhouse, and we 
have no doubt will be found the best in many lo¬ 
calities. Whatever the method of heating, 
Hot-beds should be started, as a general rule, about 
six weeks before the plants can be set in the open 
ground. For cabbages and lettuce, which go out 
earliest, the middle of February is the time market 
gardeners near New York begin operations. 
Cold Frames , that is, glass-covered frames in 
which no artificial heat is used, are needed, in con¬ 
nection with the hot-beds, as they allow the 
plants to be properly hardened off before they are 
set out, and serve to store the stock until sold ... 
The old method of placing several inches of soil in 
the hot-bed and sowing the seeds in that, is now 
generally abandoned for the use of 
“ Flats,” or Shallow Boxes, which are in every re¬ 
spect preferable. The boxes in which soap and 
various other commodities are supplied to the 
6tores, are usually employed, as they may be pur¬ 
chased for a small sum. Each box, being sawed in 
two, will make two flats, the cover making the bot¬ 
tom of the second; nail firmly all around. If more 
convenient, flats may be made outright from 1-inch 
stuff. Make them 3, 3, and 4 inches deep. 
Soil for the Boxes should be light and rich; if 
none was prepared and put under cover last fall, it 
may be difficult to procure it now. The soil under 
a manure-pile will usually be unfrozen, and by re¬ 
moving, or turning over the pile, the needed soil, 
well enriched with flue manure, may be secured. 
In Sowing the Seeds in the flats ; after having made 
the soil level, and equally firm in the corners as 
elsewhere, sow the seeds in regular rows, 3 inches 
apart, and very thinly in the rows. Avoid placing 
the seeds too deep ; half an inch is the deepest that 
small seeds should be covered, and less is generally 
preferable. W r ith these and all other seeds, press 
down the soil to bring seed and soil in close contact. 
The Hot-bed for a Private Carden, need not be 
started so soon as where plants are to be sold. The 
first week in March is proper for the climate of 
New York, and earlier or later for south or north. 
Those who have no Hot-beds, may raise plants 
enough for an ordinary garden by using the same 
“ flats ” in the kitchen window. Those who will take 
the needed trouble, can raise all the plants required 
in the family garden in this manner. So soon 
as large enough, the plants are to be 
Transplanted from the flat in which the seed was 
flown to another similar flat, giving them more 
room. Upon the proper doing of this the excel¬ 
lence of the plants will largely depend. Next 
month will be the proper time, when we shall have 
more to say on the treatment of the plants. 
What to Sow.— Cabbages, Cauliflowers, and Let¬ 
tuce, are the earliest to be set in the open ground, 
and should be sown first. Tomatoes and other 
plants from warm climates may be sown two weeks 
later. As an early cabbage, nothing has yet super¬ 
seded the true “ Jersey Wakefield.” Some prefer 
the “ Early York,” but that is too small for market. 
“Henderson’s Early Summer” is the earliest hard 
cabbage. For second early, and for general use 
everywhere, nothing surpasses the “Winning- 
stadt.” Among Cauliflowers, the “Early Erfurt ” 
is the most generally sown, and there are new kinds 
offered. In Lettuces, the best heading kinds are 
“Tennis-Ball,” “Boston Market,” and “ Butter; ” 
the “ Early Simpson ” is a showy early kind that 
does not head. See the Catalogues for others. 
Seeds for Out-door Sowing. —The catalogues are 
usually out this month; they should be well 
studied, and the supply likely to be needed ordered 
early. There can be no more ill-judged economy 
than sowing doubtful seeds, whether the doubt is 
as to their age or name. It is vastly cheaper, 
every way, to throw away all such and start afresh. 
Novelties are offered every year, and while many 
of these pass out of sight, once in a while a real 
prize turns up. The testing of novelties is one of 
the pleasantest parts of gardening, and while no 
established sort should be given up for an untried 
one; the new things that promise well should be 
tried as far as one’s means allow. The Egyptian 
Beet amply repays one for scores of failures. 
Betting Ready. —Much in-door work and some 
out-door work can be doue in the way of prepara¬ 
tion. Of the latter, the cutting of pea-brush is a 
job that is often delayed. While there are substi¬ 
tutes that answer tolerably, and must be made to 
serve where brush can not be had, we have found 
nothing quite so satisfactory as good “ sticks.” 
We illustrated in May last a wire trellis that is the 
best substitute we have tested. A second growth 
of white birch makes the best pea-brush. Beau 
poles mag be dispensed with, but as with peas, we 
have found no substitute quite equal to good poles. 
Last year we procured a set of fine straight red- 
cedar poles, and are probably provided with bean¬ 
poles for the rest of our gardening days. 
Implements. —Overhauling and putting these in 
order, is useful work for stormy days. The wood¬ 
work, if not painted, should be treated with crude 
petroleum, several coats being applied at intervals, 
until no more will be absorbed. Wood thus treated, 
is practically indestructible. The grind-stone and 
a sharp file should put all cutting edges in order; 
cultivator-teetli, hoes of all kinds, spades, etc., 
should be ground ; the laborat the grindstone now, 
will save much labor later. Rakes should be filed 
sharp; there is no more efficient weeder than a rake. 
To keep them from Rusting while they are idle, it 
will be well to use the preparation noticed in Dec. 
last. Melt together lard and rosin, a half a pound 
of the first, to a piece half the size of a heu’s-egg 
(more or less,) of the second. When melted, stir 
until cool. Keep this from dust, and rub it over 
all iron or steel surfaces that are likely to rust. 
Seed Sowers and Hand Cultivators. —There are 
several implements now made, that are most valua¬ 
ble in the garden, even if it be but a private one of 
moderate size. They consist of a frame with plow 
handles, by means of which the affair is pushed in 
advance of the operator. In one form there is a 
seed-sowing attachment, that may be altered to 
sow from the finest to the coarsest seeds. The 
seed-sower being removed, cultivating teeth of dif¬ 
ferent styles may be attached to the same frame, 
and then we have a most efficient cultivating and 
weeding implement. We have three or four of 
these, each of which has its peculiarities, which we 
allow the advertisers to set forth ; we can only say, 
that either is worth vastly more than its cost, and 
whoever once uses either of them, would be at a 
loss to manage his garden without it. 
Flower tiarden and Lawn. 
Much more work can be doue in-doors than in 
the open ground. The planning of improvements, 
if any are to be made, should always result in a 
working map. If any considerable changes are to 
be made, it will facilitate the work surprisingly, 
when operations commence, to have a map drawn 
to a scale. The thinking and planning having all 
been done beforehand, no time will be lost. The 
care against heavy snows, suggested last month, 
may be needed now. Evergreens are especially 
liable to injury in their lower branches; when 
trimmed up, their beauty is forever destroyed. 
iSreeiiliouse and Window Plants 
The great enemies to house-plants—insects and 
dust—are never vanquished. In the Notes of last 
month general suggestions are given for the war¬ 
fare upon insects. As new growth pushes, these 
find acceptable food and multiply rapidly. Days 
are now more frequent in which air can be admit¬ 
ted from without. Our correspondence tells of 
disasters that are inseparable from “ modern im¬ 
provements.” If we light our houses with gas, we 
must limit the house-plants to only the most hardy 
in this respect. We have known even Ivy, one of 
the most rugged of plants, to succumb to gas. 
Escaping gas is very deleterious to plants, but that 
is so unpleasant to the household that the escape 
is stopped before it does much injury. It is the 
products of the combustion of gas that are so un¬ 
favorable to plants, and there is no help for it. 
containing a great variety of Items , inc'vding many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed form, for want of room elseu’here. 
FREE. 
Many Good, Very Desirable Articles can 
easily be obtained by any of our readers without 
Cost, during this leisure month of February. 
A list of them is given on the last cover page of this 
paper, and a fully Illustrated Descriptive Sheet will be 
sent to any one who simply asks for it by Postal Card. 
The theory and mode of distributing articles free, is very 
simple. No matter how good or useful this Journal 
may be for any one, it will not benefit him if he does not 
know of the fact. Again, there are many who do not 
want the trouble of writing and forwarding their own 
subscriptions, and they let it pass on from month to 
month to save trouble. Now, the Publishers find it de¬ 
sirable to have some one or more at every post-office town 
who will act as a friendly agent, and gather and forward 
old and new subscribers. They might appeal to their 
friends to “ work for the good of the cause,” hut they 
prefer to offer these premium compensations, and they 
believe it will pay their friends to make an effort to 
secure them, which they can readily do this month. 
A Very Good COMPOUND MICROSCOPE, 
at a low Price.— During a year past, many letters 
have come from those having our Simple Microscope, 
asking if we could not devise and get manufactured at a 
low price something that would supply the place of the 
costly Compound Instruments. Many experiments 
and efforts have been made in this direction, and they 
have finally been successful in producing a fine Compound 
Microscope, with Camera Lucida attached, at less than half 
the cost of any equally good instrument ever before 
offered in this country. They are not yet offered to the 
general public, hut a full description, with details of price, 
etc., will be sent to any of our readers interested in a Mi¬ 
croscope of this kind, and all such readers are invited to 
write us, at once. 
The Simple Microscope supplied to our readers 
last year, can he had by any subscriber for 1879, at a cost 
of 50 cents if taken at the office, or for 70 cents if de¬ 
livered free anywhere in the United States or Terri¬ 
tories. The Price to all others, not subscribers of this 
Journal, is $1.50 at the office, or $1.70 if delivered free. 
Even at $1.50 it is hardly half the cost of any other 
equally valuable and serviceable simple Microscope, with 
3 lenses, that we have ever seen. 
The Greatly Increased Circulation of 
the German Agriculturist affords us gratifying assurance, 
that its many improvements are being observed and ap¬ 
preciated. The splendid full-page engraving which now 
appears in every number, is richly worth the whole year’s 
subscription price. Every German cultivator and laborer 
on the farm, or in the garden, should have the paper; 
while its varied household departments make the journal 
invaluable to every German home, either in the Old 
World or the New. 
A NEW PREMIUM-And a Pocket Re¬ 
volver, Cheap.—So many write us for good, low- 
priced revolvers, that we have arranged to supply those 
who want them, thus: 1st—A first-rate, steel-bar¬ 
rel and lock, nickel-plated , 7-shooter Revolver, Cali¬ 
bre 22-100. Made at the celebrated Remington Arms 
Works, weight 7 ounces. It is as good as any made for 
anything like the money, and good enough for anybody 
who wants such an implement. We have fired one 
100 times, and found it work perfectly. It will be sent 
free to any part of the United States, post-paid, by mail, 
to any one sending only 5 subscribers to the American 
Agriculturist, at $1.50 a year, or 10 subscribers at the 4- 
club rate of $1.25 a year. [Or it will be forwarded free by 
