511 
Getting the Jump on Jack Frost 
Planting With Reference to Crop Development 
Part II. 
FIRST OUT-OF-DOOR SOWING.—Since radishes, 
lettuce, onion sets and smooth peas are not injured by 
frosts, and since their best growth is made under cool, 
moist conditions, plant these crops in the open as 
soon as the soil can be worked in the Spring, usually 
April 1-15. Where hotbeds are available for grow¬ 
ing the crops to maturity, make plantings of lettuce, 
radishuS and spinach under glass in late February 
or early March. Plan to plant kohl-rabi, spinach, 
wrinkled peas, potatoes, carrots, beets, chard, par¬ 
snip, salsify, head lettuce and onions, crops also 
uninjured by Spring frosts, as soon as the soil has 
warmed up slightly and is in first-class condition, 
usually April 15 to May 1. Liability of the seeds of 
these crops to germinate slowly and to rot in cold, 
damp soil is the main reason for delaying their 
sowing 10 days or two weeks following the first 
planting of the above named crops. Postpone the 
seeding of late potatoes, beets and carrots for Winter 
use until May 15 or later, in order that tubers and 
roots may not be over-matured or show evidence of 
second growth at time of storing in late Fall. Have 
onions for mature bulbs, parsnip and salsify seeded 
by May 15, if possible, in order that plants may 
make use of the entire growing season in developing. 
FIRST TRANSPLANTING. — Transplant early 
cabbage, lettuce and beets to the out-of-door plot on 
or about April 15. This will necessitate that plants 
of all these crops be well hardened. The gardener 
'Ihe RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
or beets is transplanted and handled similarly, more 
time being required for the plants to attain sufficient 
size and to become well hardened to out-of-door 
conditions. Larly celery plants should be ready for 
their second and final transplanting June 1-15. 
LATE CABBAGE, CAULIFLOWER AND cel¬ 
ery.—’L ate cabbage, cauliflower and celery plants 
may be secured from out-of-door seed beds, little or 
no protection being needed against adverse climatic 
conditions, generally. Choose a location where the 
soil is fertile and easily worked and after thorough 
First Step in Covering Tomato Plant with Soil 
Fig. 125 
who produces his own plants may be sure that they 
are stocky and well hardened when needed for 
transplanting, while he who depends on purchasing 
them will usually be displeased with the plants’ 
ability to stand the adverse conditions to which they 
become subject in the garden plot. Therefore let 
the gardener produce his own plants if possible. 
GROWING CABBAGE PLANTS.—Arrange for 
sowing early cabbage in flats in a relatively cool 
greenhouse March 1-15, using only properly prepared 
composted soil. Have temperature of the house 
range between 45 to 00 degrees Fahrenheit, if pos¬ 
sible. As soon, as the first pair of true leaves has 
appeared, transplant the small seedlings to other 
flats, selecting those which appear stocky and spac¬ 
ing them 1 to two inches apart each way. Several 
days or a week following transplanting, transfer 
flats to cold frames where temperatures range from 
32 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden the plants 
by raising and lowering sash a short distance during 
the warmest hours of pleasant Spring days, and 
gradually increasing the exposure to actual out-of- 
door conditions at time of transplanting, usually 
April 15-25. Plants handled in this way will be 
short, stocky, vigorous-looking, and of a deep pur¬ 
plish-green cast or color. 
BEETS AND LETTUCE.—From two to four 
weeks’ time may be gained in the maturity of beets 
and head lettuce grown from transplanted seedlings. 
Sow seeds of either in fiats in the greenhouse several 
days following the seeding of early cabbage. Shift 
these seedlings also after the first true leaves have 
appeared, hardening them in practically the same 
way as cabbage, using slightly more precaution 
against low temperatures. Transplant these crops 
to the garden April 15-20. 
OTHER EARLY PLANTS.—Early kohl-rabi and 
chard may be seeded and handled similarly if de¬ 
sired. Early cauliflower sown at the same time 
must be handled more carefully, since hardening of 
this crop requires more time through slightly less 
exposure each day, and since transplanting must 
follow that of cabbage 10 days or two weeks. Early 
celery sown in flats two weeks after cabbage, lettuce 
Permanent Type of Forcing Box. Fig. 126 
• 
preparation -sow see^.s. of these crops broadcast or 
in rows about May first. With no shifting seeds 
thus sown and properly handled will produce plants 
read}' for transplanting to garden plot or field 
June 15 to July 1, at which time no protection is 
needed. A covering of cheesecloth one layer in 
thickness,, supported on » six-inch frame and 
stretched securely across the seed bed for protection 
against cabbage root maggot, aids in securing a 
more rapid growth with cabbage and cauliflower 
plants. The same is often used by commercial celery 
growers as a means of hurrying their plants. Cloth 
:s removed and replaced during warm, pleasant days 
for two weeks previous to transplanting, 
M ARM SEASON CROPS.—Bush beans and early 
sweet corn may usually be planted out-of-doors May 
15 with safety. However, many gardeners are for¬ 
warding the maturity of these crops by planting 
bills of each in paper pots or in four-inch clay pots 
in the greenhouse or hotbed and shifting them from 
those pots to the garden as soon as weather condi¬ 
tions permit. W hen handling beans or sweet corn 
in this way, plant April 20 to May 1 and use all 
precautions in hardening plants as well as possible. 
After a thorough watering, remove each hill of 
plants from its pot without removing soil. 
FORCERS.—Do not plan to plant cucumbers, 
squashes, pumpkins, Lima beans, muskmelons and 
watermelons in the garden unprotected before May 
25. Through the use of plant forcers the planting 
date of these crops may be shoved forward approxi¬ 
mately two weeks. Forcers may be purchased from 
seed firms or from greenhouse construction com¬ 
panies. or they may be readily made by anyone 
front and eight inches at the back. Cut the four 
parts of the frame of seven-eighths-inch or one-inch 
material, preferably of pecky cypress, and nail them 
securely at the corners. After planting hills of 
squashes, cucumbers or melons a week or 10 days 
;n advance of the usual season, surround each with 
a frame and place a GxS-inch pane of glass flat on 
the surface above the covei-ed seeds as additional 
protection. 
TOMATOES, PEPPERS AND EGGPLANTS.— 
Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are handled simi- 
Iarly, except that the former may be* sown a week 
or 10 days earlier than the two latter and carried 
through to transplanting time with less attention. 
Sow tomato seeds about March 15 in flats in the 
greenhouse or hotbed under a temperature of GO to 
75 degrees Fahrenheit. Shift seedlings to other 
flats, spacing them two inches each way, as soon as 
they have attained their first pair of true leaves. 
Hold the plants in these flats under practically the 
same temperature conditions until they begin to 
show spindling gi’owth from overcrowding. Shift 
again to larger flats, usually about May 1, spacing 
the plants four inches each way, and placing these 
flats in the hotbeds or cold frames several days 
following transplanting. f desired use four-inch 
Paper pots or dirt bands, placing only one plant in 
each, to secure stocky, vigorous, well-hardened 
plants for out-of-door use by May 25. Peppers and 
eggplants are handled similarly, except that each 
shift, as well as final transplanting, must necessarily 
be made two weeks later in order to correspond with 
Stocky Well-hardened Tomato Plant, Twice Trans¬ 
planted. Fig. 127 
handy with tools. One of the most common foi’cers 
consists of a well-constructed frame 12x16 inches, 
cut on a slant and grooved to accommodate a 12x16- 
ineli pane of glass. Other sizes of the same type, 
as well as of pasteboard construction, are common. 
A satisfactory forcer from the standpoint of easy 
construction, as well as of little or no attention 
needed in watering and ventilating, consists of a 
rectangular frame of the desired dimension, prefer- 
ably 12x16 or lb iuclnjs by 0 inches high at the 
Second Step in Covering Tomato Plant With Suit 
Fig. 128 
dates of seed sowing, as well as with out-of-door 
weather conditions. Eggplants often require an 
additional shifting to six or seven-inch clay pots in 
oi'der to prevent any check in growth previous to 
being transplanted to the garden, ordinarily about 
June 15. 
PROTECTION IN FIELD.—Provide some means 
of protection for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in 
the field, in order that they may make an unchecked 
growth. Deep transplanting has been found a satis¬ 
factory means of protection with newly set tomatoes. 
Leave only the top of the plant protruding above the 
surface, in order that growth will continue from 
below the point to which the plant may possibly be 
nipped by fx*ost. Or, bending each set plant to the 
surface of the ground, cover it with loose soil in 
case of a probable frost. Plants may remain so 
covered for several days without injury, each 
straightening up gradually after the soil is removed. 
In case protection is demanded very quickly, use old 
peach or tomato hampers—invex'ting one over each 
plant. Resort to the use of these altogether with 
peppers and eggplants. 
SWEET POTATOES.—'Since sweet potato plants 
are taken direct from the propagating bed to the 
garden plot, they need not be started before April 
—o-o0. 1* roxn five to six weeks is needed for securing 
good plants, which should be well-hardened through 
increased exposure in the hotbed each agreeable day 
and ready for transplanting to the garden plot June 
1-15. 
TAKING CHANCES ON SPRING WEATHER — 
Occasionally the gardener may profit by taking 
chances against the weather, that is, by sowing seeds 
or setting plants of the more tender crops a week 
or 10 days ahead of their natural season. Before 
following this practice, however, the gardener should 
make sure of an ample supply of either good seeds 
ox pi.mts to replant all ci'ops which may be injured 
bj fxosts oi‘ by cold, damp weather. In genex’al, 
best results will be secured through systematic 
Planting, which will enable the various crops to 
coincide with climatic conditions which they may 
encounter, e. l. kirkpatrick. 
